Water For River Bend Park

Finally, after over a a year and a half with no water the park is finally close to getting it turned back on!  The $21,712.85 bill will be paid by the Property Owners Association in agreement with the city of Hardy.  Hardy Mayor Nina Thornton said the property owners have kept in contact with the city throughout the ordeal. Currently, the owners are waiting to see that the water lines are functional before paying the bill that will insure their service is properly restored.

 April 10, 2010 – The POA Board reached an agreement with Virgil Griffin on April 10, 2010, to provide water to River Bend Park. We do not know the exact date the water will be turned on, but hopefully it will be soon. Some repairs to water lines coming into the park and other checking of the water distribution system have to be made, and plans are to begin this within the next couple of weeks.

Thornton said that area resident, Virgil Griffin said he has a deed to the water system and agreed to pay the deposit and get the water back to the residents so they can once again enjoy the area. Thornton said the water was cut off to the park and 10 residences on Oct. 21, 2008 after the bill became extremely past due. She said everyone was notified and the meter was read at that time and locked. Thornton said the city tried to work with the Bigger’s Bluff Water Corporation, after the bill was over $16,000 past due, to no avail. Thornton said the city still gave Johnson another month to pay the bill. She said they didn’t want to turn the water off to the park, but explained that it is a state law that a city cannot give free utilities. She said after the month was up, she, as mayor of the city, took the matter to council, who voted unanimously to shut off the water to River bend Park. She said council further voted that in the future a person would have to sign to be responsible as well as paying a $5,000 deposit; this was the amount of an average monthly bill to the area. Virgil Griffin signed as the responsible party for the bill and further agreed to sign a three year contract with the city.

Thornton explained that the city of Hardy was still in the process of trying to secure grants for a new water system for the area and to annex the area into the city. This, she said, would be in the best interest of the city. As Hardy will be providing water to the park, it is only fair that the city should get something back. Many of the residents who live in the homes on the road going to the park have since had wells drilled on their property.

Thornton said Griffin said property owners were currently in the process of meeting with their lawyers. “They have a three year agreement with the city; they will pay him and he will pay the bill.” She further explained that there was a water line up the hill by Nathan and Renee Clay Circle’s new home that was broken under their concrete slab. She said the city is in the process of rerouting that portion of the water line. She said the city has never had any problem with the property owners, other than simply the bill was not paid. She further stated, “They are going to have water very soon.”

You can keep up to date with information about the park on their website at http://www.riverbendparkhardy.com/