Canton’s Lake Plans Get Cold Shoulder

Canton’s plans for a future lake reservoir might go forward without the support of the county commissioners.

Tuesday, the commissioners’ court took no action on a resolution supporting the city’s efforts after it failed to draw a motion from any of the court’s five members.

The controversial point is the location of a future lake reservoir, although Precinct 3 Commissioner Duanne Harvey said he could not "put my blessing on this Mill Creek proposal."

He was referring to a potential lake site along Mill Creek north of Interstate 20 and south of U.S. Highway 80 near Fruitvale.

Canton City Manager Andy McCuiston said no final site had been selected or presented to the Texas Water Development Board Region D Planning Committee, but the Mill Creek site had been used in constructing a cost analysis to present to the committee.

That site would entail a 1,400-acre lake with about 2,200-acres required to include a designated flood area, according to McCusiton.

However, Cary Hilliard, spokesman for a group of citizens opposing the Mill Creek location, took issue with that required land estimate and told commissioners the plan would end up with 4-to-1 ratio of land purchase for every acre under water.

In a prepared statement, Hilliard charged that the city already has its sights set on the Mill Creek location.

"While the city management denies that a lake location has been selected, the city’s engineer has stated the Mill Creek location is the best location and has briefed the Region D Water Planning Group so on two occasions," Hilliard said.

He went on to say he and other citizens opposed to that location believe the city has "exaggerated the 60-year Canton population projection and therefore greatly inflated the city’s future water requirement."

The location’s close proximity to the city’s sewer plant also drew fire from Hilliard and the opposition group, and was questioned by Precinct 1 Commissioner Ricky LaPrade.

Gary Burton of Burton Engineering, who attended Tuesday’s meeting with McCuiston and Canton City Council members Ross Maris and Clay Nicklas, said a plan would be in place to divert affluent and wastewater around the proposed dam location.

However, LaPrade labeled the idea as being "a lot of money just to reroute the sewer."

What does not change, even without the commissioners’ support, is the ongoing water resource rights issue for rural areas, a point brought out during discussion by TWDB Region D Committee members Darwin Douthit.

"Our (committee’s) job is to plan for water needs for everyone in the county, not just the city of Canton," Douthit said, adding that restrictions on new water wells are expected to go into effect in 2011.

Burton displayed a county map that detailed four other possible locations for a new lake reservoir and Nicklas reiterated that the Mill Creek location had not been settled upon as the site.

"The council has not voted one way or the other on a final location," he said.

McCuiston later added, "Whatever site is eventually selected, you will see people objecting…and they have compelling reasons for doing so, not just for property."

Also in Tuesday’s meeting, the court approved a loan agreement with the United States Air Force Heritage Program for an F-4d aircraft for display at the Van Zandt County Veterans’ Memorial site.

The court also approved adding the aircraft to its liability and loss insurance coverage.

In other matters, the court took the following action:

— Appointed Precinct 4 Commissioner Ron Carroll to the Van Zandt County Appraisal District Board of Directors.

— Approved a memorandum of understanding between the Andrews Center and the county for telemedicine video equipment to be installed in the Van Zandt County Jail.

— Added Bobby Colacino, executive director of the Van Zandt County Juvenile Probation Department, and Vicky Pierce, deputy district clerk, to the local Data Advisory Board.

— Ratified a live check to Lana Goddard for attendance at the Texas Association of Property and Evidence Inventory Technicians Conference earlier this month.

— Awarded a bid for the inmate telephone contract for the county jail to Securus Technologies.

— Accepted a Homeland Security Grant for communications equipment for $72,400.

— Awarded a bid for Precinct 3 to Boxcer Equipment of Tulsa, Okla., for a 2004 Gradeall for $115,000, and approved financing of the equipment through Government Capital.

— Approved a dental and life insurance plan for county employees and retirees through Companion Life.

— Approved a contract with IKON Office Solutions for a copy machine in the district attorney’s office.

— Approved budget amendments for the county library, district clerk and county clerk.

— Approved a continuation, in effect for 30 days, of the county judge’s declaration of a local state of disaster, issued Oct. 22, due to flooding.