By Miles Layton

COLUMBIA – Town Manager Monica Mauffray told the Board of Aldermen on Monday that state regulators may be rating Columbia’s wastewater plant higher than the town believes is fair, a classification that could bring tougher operating requirements.

Sorry for the delay in writing the Columbia Town Council’s meeting story — it’s been a busy news cycle with the election and all that’s going on. And yes, that’s a file photo accompanying the story, not a photo from Monday. Anyway, if you have news tips, send them to mileslayton1969@gmail.com

Back to our story — Mauffray said one state web page lists the plant as a Class 2 facility. The state Division of Environmental Quality, however, appears to treat it as something higher. The town is trying to find out why.

Classification depends partly on permitted capacity. A plant permitted for less than 600,000 gallons is graded as a Grade 2, Mauffray explained. A plant above that threshold falls into Grade 3.

By the figures she cited, Columbia’s plant is not close to that line. Daily flow runs about 240,000 to 245,000 gallons, well under half the threshold. Mauffray said the town does have the capability to expand, and that may be part of what the state is weighing.

“I don’t know where that’s going to go,” Mauffray told the board; more clarification is needed.

The question grew out of a recent state inspection. The inspection report stated a list of items the town needed to address. Mauffray said several have been fixed and others are being worked on, and the town has responded to DEQ with a letter.  Columbia is now waiting on the DEQ’s reply.  Kenneth is going to take the class for a Grade 3 as soon as it’s available.

Mauffray also brought the board a spreadsheet comparing Columbia’s building permit fees and docking fees with comparison of nearby governments. The comparison showed the town trailing its neighbors in several categories.

The basic plumbing permit, for example, costs $45 in Columbia. A neighboring county charges $50 to $75. Mauffray said the point of the exercise was not to match the highest rates in the region.

“We probably should get somewhere in the middle with the rest of them because we’re kind of behind,” she said.

The discussion drifted to docking charges. One official said another community charges nothing for docking, and one charged $25.  Someone in the town asked; why don’t we charge for sewer pump out?  The charge to treat sewer is the same for boaters and town citizens.  It’s more of an expense to treat sewer than it is for drinking water. 

On the town’s aging bulkhead, Mauffray reported that Columbia has received the state Coastal Area Management Act permit it needs to replace the area at the end of the office building.  Town staff got notice of the permit Oct. 21. Contractor will do these repairs at the same time as the Harbor Town project.

Later in the meeting, Mauffray told the board she had been contacted that afternoon by McDavid & McDavid to ask the board for approval on two resolutions for the $3 million Community Development Block Infrastructure grant.  The paperwork reached her too late to make Monday’s agenda, she said, and she apologized to the board.  Motion was made and all approved both resolutions.

The board also received a Planning Board recommendation to approve a plan to subdivide GSM Properties for the new school. Tyrrell County reviewed the plats.   Aldermen were handed copies at the meeting. Board members discussed zoning questions tied to the property and a motion was made and all approved.