Fulton won’t buy Johns Creek treatment plant
After months of study and behind-the-scenes politicking, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners Wednesday decided they’re not interested in buying a Johns Creek sewage treatment plant that a consultant says they don’t need.
By a unanimous vote, commissioners accepted County Manager Dick Anderson’s plan to provide sewer service in north Fulton County without buying the Cauley Creek treatment plant. The move came despite a last-minute plea from Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker to study the issue more.
Anderson's recommendation was based on a report by consultant Burns & McDonnell that concluded Fulton County doesn't need Cauley Creek to meet sewage treatment needs in the northern part of the county. The consultant also found buying Cauley Creek would cost the county an extra $54.3 million over the next 20 years.
But in a letter to county commissioners Tuesday, Bodker said the consultant’s findings are flawed. He urged commissioners to hire another consultant to study the issue.
County commissioners were not persuaded.
“I don’t think we can discount (those concerns),” said Commissioner Liz Hausmann, who represents Johns Creek. “Obviously, there are politics in everything we do. We are a political body. But, in my opinion, we have to take the professional advice of our staff.”
About the Author
David Wickert writes about the state budget, finance and voting issues. Previously, he covered local government and politics in Gwinnett and Fulton counties. Before moving to Atlanta, he worked at newspapers in Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
