Group calls for halt to interchange

10/30/2008 5:05:00 AM
Madison County Journal

Group calls for halt to interchange

By STEVEN G. WATSON
Associate Editor

A federation of homeowners associations is calling for the Board of Supervisors to halt all future expenditures on the proposed Reunion interchange, asking supervisors to instead put those funds towards other road projects.

The Federation of Madison County Homeowners Associations, or FMCHA, met Tuesday evening and adopted a resolution hoping to convince the Board of Supervisors to reconsider using county funds to finance the project and instead wait for state and federal aid.

Members of the group, which represents nearly two dozen homeowners associations countywide, say they are concerned with the ever-growing price tag of the interchange.

The resolution came in two parts, one stating that "due to the changing economic climate, the Reunion Parkway Project should be shelved until such time as funding can be provided by state, federal and private sources rather than the current majority funding being provided by Madison County."

The second stipulated that any remaining monies set aside for Reunion should be "revised to allow completion of as many road projects as possible."

Dinsmor representative Mike Smith drew up the language for the resolution and said they simply want the county to re-think using the taxpayer money in such a way.

"We're not necessarily against Reunion," Smith said. "What I'm against is the way it was initially presented to the public."


Smith went on to complain that the county initially said the interchange would be done without any tax increase, but were forced to raise taxes for the first time in over 20 years last month to help cover costs.

"Funding is primarily coming from the county and you don't see the state and federal funding you normally see for these types of projects," Smith said. "If we continue down this path this will be a tremendous hardship on other projects."

Woody Middleton, a representative of Cherry Hill Plantation, agreed with many of Smith's points, but did express his fear that halting the interchange's progress could hurt proposed developments in the area.

He was particularly concerned with a proposed St. Dominic hospital, which has yet to receive state approval. Middleton said he didn't know the logistics of the hospital, but feared not building the interchange may hurt its chances for approval.

"I think the whole thing is questionable, but I think you have to look at the good a hospital could do for the people in our area," Middleton said. "That's just another issue we need to consider."

Members elected to amend the original resolution to emphasize that they are not against economic development, but still voted to ratify it and plan to present it at the next board of supervisors meeting.

The group had a second resolution it considered, detailing several other edicts, but after several questions were raised decided to instead table it until a later meeting.

The second resolution considered, among other things, a call for all future bond issues to be put to a public vote, the development of a long-range plan for the county and a prioritized road maintenance program.

In other FMCHA business:

• The group has set a town hall meeting on Dec. 2 to discuss transportation issues in the county as well as ways to increase government efficiency and transparency.

Rep. Rita Martinson was on hand and said she and others have been greatly concerned by the actions of the current group of supervisors.

"We're concerned about the openness in county government," Martinson said. "We saw an example of this when it was sprung on us and we had to react the way we did.

"We're not trying to be supervisors," she continued. "We just want more openness and we hope the homeowners associations can help us."

• Northbay resident Wes Holsaple reported that the lawsuit filed by one of their homeowners over the issue of renting has been dropped. He said the Northbay Homeowners Association, along with the city of Madison, plans to hold firm on their resolution of no renting of homes within the neighborhood.

"This is a really important issue at Northbay as I'm sure it is with many of you," Holsaple told the group. "We are all concerned about the value of our homes as I'm sure you all are as well."