Water project makes for rare morning meeting

Walhalla’s elected leaders gathered at City Hall this morning for a rare weekday meeting to take up a matter associated with the city’s most ambitious project. Because it was a contract issue involving plans for a new water source the meeting was off-limits to the press and the public. Taking part were Mayor Danny Edwards, members of city council, City Administrator Nancy Goehle, utilities superintendent Scott Parris, City Attorney Julian Stoudemire and two officials of the architect and engineering company hired by the city. The firm Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood of Greenville has been on the job since late June to assist Walhalla. To tap into Lake Keowee for water, Walhalla has acquired 21 acres and will require permits and approvals from Duke Energy and the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. Estimates are that it will be a multi-million dollar project for which Walhalla plans to contact members of the state Congressional Delegation to facilitate. Mayor Pro-tem Tjay Bagwell recently predicted the project will take between four and six years. Walhalla currently draws its water through a treatment plant built in the 1960s near 183/the Walhalla-Westminster Highway. Lamar Bailes, winner of this week’s special election to sit on city council, recalled today that a water issue was the reason he first entered city politics in 1964.