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DUD board approves bond
Opponents speak out at meeting
DUD board w L
The Dekalb Utility District board met in special session Thursday to consider a resolution for the authorization and issuance of $9.25 million in aggregate principal to construct a new water treatment plant.While many opponents of the proposed facility crowded into a small meeting room and hallway Thursday afternoon, many of them speaking out against the board's decision to build the plant, the funds were approved by the board by a vote of 4-1, with Hugh Washer casting the lone dissenting vote.Chairman Roger Turney, Joe Foutch, Danny Bass, and Jimmy Womack all voted in favor of accepting the funds.After Turney took comments and questions from the audience for nearly two hours, many of them opining that the new plant is redundant and that it will cause rate increases for subscribers he attempted to answer the inquiries and put fears about the new plant to rest.After the votes were cast, several residents left the meeting in anger.Among the dissenters to the project was John Daniels, who asked why the DUD board felt the need for a second water plant in DeKalb County."How many times has the water ever been down in Smithville?" he asked. "I've lived here for 34 years. I've never seen us without water, ever.