A costly mess at a contaminated Water Gas and Light site is getting messier as city leaders refuse to hand over money for the clean up.
The state ordered WG&L to start cleaning up an old manufactured gas plant in less than a month.
It sparked a debate among the city commission over where the money should come from and whether commissioners should take greater control over WG&L.
WG&L is asking for money from the city to start the cleanup project, but before they hand over money, city commissioners want to make sure they can have some say in this process to try to save taxpayers money.
Mayor Dorothy Hubbard has two months to meet with WG&L staff to try to resolve their financial issues. Water Gas and Light has been ordered to clean up this old manufactured gas plant, a project that could cost anywhere between two and ten million dollars.
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division gave WG&L a September first deadline to start the work. But the city of Albany is ultimately responsible.
"If WG&L does nothing by September one, the EPD will file an enforcement action against the city of Albany eventually to make us clean it up. They won't file an action against Water Gas and Light because Water Gas and Light can't sue or be sued. So it's up to the city," said Bob Langstaff, Ward V Commissioner.
WG&L asked the city to tap into the long term planning committee fund and dish out $700,000 to start the clean up.
The committee, which is composed of three city commissioners and two WG&L board members voted three to two to refuse to give Water Gas and Light the money.
"I don't want to touch that money. I want to preserve it as a deal closing fund. We don't have a policy in place to spend the money and without a policy we get it nickeled and dimed to death. A little goes here, a little goes there and the next thing you know it's gone," said Langstaff.
And this debate has caused some commissioners to question their control, or lack thereof over Water Gas and Light.
Langstaff wants to amend the charter to make the WG&L manager report to the city manager.
Not everyone on the commission agreed. And instead they'll give Mayor Hubbard, who's the chairman of the Water Gas and Light board, two months to meet with staff.
"Our new mayor, Mayor Hubbard has only been in position over Water Gas and Light for 7 months. And our new commissioners that we put on there haven't really had an opportunity to really dig into these issues and resolve them at that level," said Roger Marietta, Ward IV Commissioner.
"At that time we'll make a decision if there's a change that needs to be made then we'll definitely make it at that time. But I think it's just important for us to look at all the information before we make a decision," said Christopher Pike, Ward III Commissioner
The Mayor plans on meeting with WG&L staff as soon as possible. And there's been talk of trying to get that September first deadline extended so these issues can be resolved.
Commissioner Langstaff says WG&L could still get city money, but it won't be coming from the long term financial planning fund.
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