The Members of the Board of Directors Are:
Billy Shannon
Wayne Harvell
Shane Emerson
Billy Ray Hall
James Griffin
Board meetings are normally held on the last Monday of each month at 8:30 AM at the Ardmore Water Department Office.
At the January 31, 2024, Water Board Meeting, an Ardmore Water customer propounded questions to the board and management regarding the recent water outage during the week of January 15, 2024. Those questions and Ardmore Water's attourney's responses, are set out below.
Question 1. The water outage that occurred during the week of January 15, 2024 has truly been a failure of our current water department and its infrastructure. How does the Ardmore Water Department plan for this situation not happening again.
Response: The cold temperatures during the week of January 15th were an extremely unusual event. The customers of Ardmore Water, in order to prevent their own pipes from freezing, turned their taps on thereby draining the tank maintained by the Limestone County Water Authority from which the town of Ardmore acquires water. As a result, the low water level in that tank created an unsafe condition for further water use until the tank could reach a safe water level. The management of Ardmore Water received a phone call at 4:30 PM on the afternoon that we were told that the water supply would be cut.
Ardmore Water has been looking for additional sources of water for several years. Sources include Lincoln County Tennessee, Madison County, Alabama, and additional water flow from Limestone County. Cost is a significant factor.
Question 2. Historically, it seems Ardmore Water Department has purchased water from Lincoln County, Tennessee. Would it have been feasible to purchase water from them during this crisis?
Response: No, not at that time. In the past Ardmore Water has tried to purchase water from Lincoln County and it was not financially feasible due to the unaffordable price. At the time of the crisis, communications were initiated with Lincoln County and we were informed that at that time Lincoln County would also have not been able to provide water as well.
Question 3. When water is being supplied by Limestone County water department to Ardmore Water department and an interruption occurs, how is the water department notified?
ResponseOn the rare occasions this occurs, the CEO of Limestone County Water Authority calls chairman Billy Shannon or Superintendent Wayne Miller by phone to let Ardmore know. Normally there is advance notice of an interruption and planning can take place. In those situations the public usually is not even aware. The week of January 15, there was no advance notice from Limestone Water, none.
Question 4. What is the current amount of water (%) Ardmore purchases from the Limestone County Water Authority each month.
Response: The number varies depending upon the month of the year but averages between 35% to 40%.
Question 5. When was the last time the Ardmore Water Department upgraded the water main?
Response: There are several water mains throughout the City of Ardmore water system. They are upgraded on an as needed basis and as operating capital allows.
Question 6. There is currently a $15,000,000 grant to upgrade the Ardmore sewer system. Is a grant currently being worked on to upgrade the water system?
Response: We are continually working to obtain numerous grants, but such grants are very slow and time consuming. At present we are committed to repay approximately five million dollars in order to obtain the $15,000,000 grant referenced in the question.
Question 7. In my observation of the Water Department, it is owned by the public corporation name Waterworks and Sewer Board of Town of Ardmore, Alabama.
a. As a public corporation
i. Who owns the shares of stock?
ii. How can shares be traded or purchased?
iii. Is there a corporate board of directors and what are the names of those individuals?
Response: The water department is a part of the Town of Ardmore, Alabama, and is operated by a corporation established pursuant to Alabama law. The assets of the water department are therefore assets of the town. There are no shares of stock and no shares of stock can be purchased. The original incorporation was made pursuant to Act No. 175 of the 1951 Alabama legislature. That law is now established pursuant to Alabama Code 11-50-310 et seq. (Code of Alabama 1975 as amended) which pertains to the establishment of the municipal corporations for the purposes of maintenance of public utilities. That law allows for a Board of Directors in order for the management of such corporations.
The current board members are Billy Shannon, Billy Ray Hall, James Griffin, Wayne Harvell and Shane Emerson.
Response: The towns of Ardmore, Alabama, and Ardmore, Tennessee, entered into a joint agreement on October 29, 1965, that acknowledged that on June 1, 1956, that the town of Ardmore, Alabama, agreed to furnish the town of Ardmore, Tennessee, water through a 75,000 gallon water storage tank in 1956. The 1965 agreement recognized the obligation of the Town of Ardmore, Alabama, to maintain and operate the Town of Ardmore, Tennessee's water system. This was to be a 30 year agreement. As of the time of the answering of this question, there has not been any other document located extending or redefining that agreement. The two towns continue to operate under the same agreement since 1965.
Question 9. According to the ordinance No. 94-02-03 and 95-01-12 that I have found, the City of Ardmore, Tennessee still owns the assets on the Tennessee side, but give authority to the water department to maintain and operate the system in the Tennessee side.
a. Has there been a time the City of Ardmore, Tennessee assets been granted ownership to the water department?
Response: The Ardmore Water Department owns the lands upon which the water tanks, pump stations, and the well located in Ardmore Tennessee are located. The Ardmore Water Department owns the meters and hydrants located in Ardmore Tennessee. The Ardmore Water Department maintains the piping located within the ground in Ardmore, Tennessee. Ardmore, Tennessee does not maintain a water department staff. There has not been a granting of ownership of any other assets to the Town of Ardmore, Tennessee.