Hoschton, JCWSA renew annual contract

When it comes to the management of its water and sewerage systems, the City of Hoschton knows a good thing when it sees one.

Mayor Erma Denney appeared before the Jackson County Water and Sewerage Authority last Thursday night to “respectfully request” that the authority renew its annual contract with Hoschton to manage the city’s water and sewer operations.

That matter will be on the authority’s agenda when it meets at 6 p.m. Thursday. All indications are that the authority will renew the contract without change for the year between April 1 and March 31, 2013.


At the authority’s work session on Thursday, Denney was effusive in her praise of the authority’s work, referring to “the high standard of quality” and the “utmost customer satisfaction.”

She thanked the authority for work done “not only under our contractual relationship, but also never forgetting you were there for the City of Hoschton in a time of dire need.”

Denney, pointing out the city’s financial challenges, said it would be “extraordinarily difficult if not impossible” for the city to take over operations and said the city is “very comfortable with the (authority) staff and the way all of the processes are completed.”

The base price of the contract will remain at $97,455. All of the unit prices for other services will stay at the current rate as well.

On Monday, the Hoschton City Council approved the contract with the authority. At the council’s work session on Thursday, Denney called the agreement a “win-win” situation, as city officials believe that Hoschton’s payment to the authority is helping it pay for its share of the Bear Creek Reservoir.

The authority took over the city’s water and sewer operations in January 2010, when city officials found what Denney called “deplorable conditions” at the city’s waste treatment plant. Before that, Hoschton had its own operator for the facility.