WRRWA officials to take part in Little Wilbur bond closing

By Jason R. Mullins

In what is being a touted as a historic moment for Carter County and the City of Elizabethton, the Watauga River Regional Water Authority has announced a special called meeting this Monday at the Workforce Development Complex in Stoney Creek.

WRRWA Chairman Johnny Mills has scheduled the session in order for the authority’s board of directors to participate in the official bond closing for the Little Wilbur Water Treatment Plant.

WRRWA Interim Director Bryon Trantham commented that representatives from Bass, Berry and Sims–the law firm handling the legal aspects of the bond issue–will be attendance at the event. Also scheduled to take part in the meeting are officials from the securities and investment firm of Wiley Brothers of Nashville and Regions Bank.

Once the bond closing has taken place, Trantham stated that WRRWA will receive the bond proceeds totaling $8.2 million, which will allow for the completion of the Little Wilbur Water Treatment Plant. WRRWA will receive the funds no later than Tuesday, July 31.

The treatment facility will provide millions of gallons each day to customers in the City of Elizabethton, the South Elizabethton Utility District and Siam Utility District. The plan is scheduled to be operational through the use of temporary water pumps by September or October of this year. Final completion of the project is anticipated to be achieved by late December or early January of 2013.

The bond closing will take place Monday morning at 10 a.m. in the main conference room at the Workforce Development Complex, 386 Hwy. 91 in Stoney Creek.