Henderson County commissioners decided Monday to use $9.5 million in federal COVID-19 relief money to add multiple recreational fields to Berkeley Mills Park. The move is the latest in a saga to spend the remainder of federal funds before being forced to return it.
Commissioners initially intended to use the money for a wastewater treatment plant for the Edneyville neighborhood, but delays in the permitting process forced commissioners to change course. American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds must be allocated before the end-of-year deadline.
While the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality issued a permit to Henderson County in May, leaders did not think there was enough time to go through the necessary bidding and design process to have a contract in place before the end of the year.
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The permit request drew ire from environmental groups including MountainTrue and the Southern Environmental Law Center.
“We are opposed to a new wastewater discharge to Clear Creek because the creek is already impaired,” Patrick Hunter, a senior attorney with SELC, wrote in a letter to DEQ in October. He advocated for the county to instead connect to the existing water treatment plant in Hendersonville, which leaders eventually opted to do.
During a commission meeting last month, Commissioner Daniel Andreotta blamed “people with agendas” for meddling in the permitting process without referring to a specific agency or group. He did not respond to an email from BPR asking for further comment.
After DEQ drafted a permit, the agency held a public hearing to gather comments and approved a permit with some changes, including more stringent limits on discharge into the waterway.
Commissioners planned to use a bidding process known as Construction Management at Risk to speed up the project. This method would have allowed the county to set a guaranteed maximum amount for the project and hire a construction manager to oversee the project before any design work began. At a meeting in mid-July, they found out ARPA rules prohibited using this method.
Commissioners then decided to use the money on parks and recreation. The county would be forced to return the funds if not used by the deadline.
“If there’s one thing worse than government spending money, it’s spending money in hurry,” Commissioner Andreotta said Monday.
Berkeley Mills Park is currently owned by Henderson County Public Schools. It has enough vacant land for three full-sized soccer fields and another, smaller field, according to a consultant report from WGLA Engineering. The plan approved Monday envisions a new softball field, tennis courts and almost 300 parking spots. The work is estimated to cost between $12 and $14 million.
Only one construction engineering company bid on the park project: WithersRavenel.
County staff said the intensity of the deadline made it a tough job and likely deterred other vendors.
“Only having one is indicative of the challenge of this project…we are fortunate to receive a qualified firm to respond,” Assistant County Manager Christopher Todd told commissioners.
The vote to choose Berkeley Mills over Jackson Park split the commission 3-2, with Commissioners Andreotta and David Hill dissenting. They preferred Jackson Park because of the lower construction cost, central location and ability to fit more fields.
The commission will meet on August 20 at 9:30 a.m. for a special meeting where members will likely vote on a contract with WithersRavenel.
Last month, Henderson County Schools’ Board of Public Education indicated the district will give the county the park’s land for redevelopment. The school board has stipulated the project must include a softball field, tennis courts and a restroom/changing facility.
In a letter to commissioners, Superintendent Mark Garret wrote, “Henderson County Public Schools is excited about this potential partnership and the positive impact it would have on our community, especially our young people.”
