Dear Editor: I read Sean Register’s article in Wednesday’s Bryan County News. Mr. Register makes many valid points, a few of which I would like to clarify. I speak only for myself and make no claim to speak for any other city council member.
I fully support the Terrapointe project and the request for the City to annex the tract on which a commercial park is to be developed. The economic benefits of such a development will be a boon for Richmond Hill and Bryan County. The greatest benefit would be jobs, and it would be foolish to not pursue any potential employment opportunities.
At the same time, we must ensure that we can afford to expand the city limits. The cost of delivering water, sewer, police, and fire services has a price. As such, we must approach this in a timely manner, fully flesh out every facet of the annexation, and make certain the deal is fair to taxpayers.
I have no doubt that Terrapointe will “step up to the plate” as Mr. Register avowed. In similar agreements, the company has a record of generosity to cities and counties. In July, I expressed conditional support for the project. The condition was that I would support annexation if the city can afford it. I also asked that the entire city council be included in an informational meeting in which we would convene with Terrapointe and begin a dialogue on how we can make this work. I was under the assumption that this workshop would be in August, but it was never scheduled.
With that said, I do know that Richmond Hill and Terrapointe are currently in negotiations regarding water and sewer delivery. Once an agreement is reached we can further negotiate how to provide other essential services. Of course, any agreement has to ensure that Terrapointe will guarantee loans made to finance the new infrastructure.
There is no reason why we cannot make this commercial park happen. Over time, it will help ease the tax burden of homeowners and should also increase market share for local restaurants, gas stations, and other businesses.
Most importantly, this project is about jobs. Jobs for people in our city. If Terrapointe steps up to the plate, I believe that Richmond Hill will throw a good pitch, and this will be a homerun that both teams enjoy.