MORGANTOWN — The Morgantown Utility Board’s Board of Directors recently approved a $75,000 contract with Region VI Planning and Development Council to act as project administrator for upgrades to its water and sewer services to the Morgantown Industrial Park.
The upgrades will serve the anticipated park expansion, but are tied largely to Mountaintop Beverage, the anchor development through which the TIF-funded additions have been leveraged.
It’s been stated that the facility could consume as much as 500 gallons of water and sewer service a minute, around the clock, requiring some $7 million in upgrades to MUB’s system.
In February, MUB’s board approved more than $500,000 in design and engineering work from Charleston-based firm E.L. Robinson for those upgrades.
The bill for the design and engineer is being covered by Enrout Properties, which owns the park.
Assistant General Manager and Chief Engineer Jim Fetty said those designs have been submitted and are currently under review.
Using the TIF process, Enrout will pay for the sewer upgrades as well as a portion of the water enhancements, the remainder of which will likely be covered by a U.S. Economic Development Administration grant.
Asked if MUB considered the additional revenue generated by Mountaintop when considering future inflationary rate increases, General Manager Mike McNulty said no, explaining the company is not anticipated to need water service until next spring, at the earliest.
McNulty also noted nothing is written in stone, particularly post-COVID.
“We’re hoping they come. We’re hoping the use numbers they gave us for full build out will come sooner, but we, honestly, have no idea what will transpire,” he said, later adding “Let me just say I’m a little skeptical every time I hear about economic development projects. I’m too old. I’ve seen too many of them and they don’t always produce the sales they say they’re going to. I’ll believe it when I see it.”
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