Russellville Mayor Gene Zick says the $8,700 is Lewisburg's financial portion of the project which cost a total of $146,583. Lewisburg's Mayor Ken Whitson and his council are not convinced their city owes that amount and want to see proof before cutting a check.
The earth dam sprung a leak years ago, but it was recently that the City of Russellville began the process to get it repaired. The city received a $100,000 grant from the state government to help repair the leak but cost of the project exceeded the gift by $46,583.
According to a contract between the two cities signed in 1971, Russellville agreed to take on 80 percent of the Lake's cost with Lewisburg taking on the remaining 20 percent when it was built. Both cities agreed at that time the lake's construction would be a good source of water if needed by the communities. Neither city utilizes the lake for a water now; however, Logan Aluminum does.
Zick said that according to the original contract Lewisburg is responsible for their part. Whitson said he still hasn't seen enough documentation to prove Zick's claims.
“We have no problem paying what we owe but what we owe is still in question,” Whitson said. “The paperwork sent to us by the city of Russellville is scattered and shows purchases for equipment the city kept after the project was completed. Why would we pay for equipment that we won't ever see?”
One of the pieces of equipment is a potable transit time flow meter with the price tag of $5,131.
“Why would Lewisburg be charged for this piece of equipment when the city of Russellville has ownership of it,” said Whitson, who added a good deal of the project's overage came from switching Logan Aluminum onto Lake Herndon while the project was being completed.
“Zick says the original contract between our cities includes taking care of Logan Aluminum - I don't know about that,” Whitson said. “I would have to see that in writing before I believed it. I feel like the majority of the $46,583 was used out at Lake Herndon not Spa Lake, which is what we are 20 percent responsible for and which received $100,000 grant from the state.”
Russellville City Attorney Bob Hedges told the Russellville city council last week the issue could be taken to court if that was how they wanted to handle it. Councilman Lanny McPherson said the city of Russellville needed to collect the bill from Lewisburg with whatever means it could.
Lewisburg Attorney James Milam said he would hate to see it go to court but his clients at this time would not be paying the bill unless they could see exactly where they owed it.
“Lewisburg never had any input in this project,” Milam said. “The council and mayor of Lewisburg have requested that someone from the city of Russellville attend one of their meetings to explain.”
Milam added that Russellville officials have declined to attend a Lewisburg City Council meeting.
“We just want to make sure that if we pay anything out for this project it is a benefit to the citizens of Lewisburg. We have a fiscal responsibility to our taxpayers as well as Russellville does,” said Whitson. “We just want to do what is fair.”
Zick said that is what he wants as well.
“It all comes down to timing,” said Zick. “If I had had the grant money when we were preparing for Logan Aluminum to switch over to Lake Herndon while we repaired Spa, then Lewisburg would be paying for some of the grout poured into the dam. These are all pieces to one big puzzle.”
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