BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

KERMIT — Construction on Kermit’s water infrastructure project is expected to commence soon, following necessary procedural steps to secure USDA funding. The town has completed two of the three required readings of an ordinance, with the final reading and public hearing scheduled for Sept. 9.

The project will revitalize Kermit’s water treatment plant and replace a water line to East Kermit that was destroyed in a 2015 flood.

“The good thing about all of it is that everything we’ve asked for is in the bid and is going to be done,” Mayor Charles Sparks remarked at a town meeting Aug. 12. “That’s awesome. It will be like a brand-new plant.”

The project may also address the repair or replacement of a 46-year-old water tank that has been a significant concern for town officials. The aging tank, with a capacity of 110,000 gallons, could either be repaired for approximately $225,000 or replaced at a cost of $750,000 to $1 million, depending on available funding.

After several years in the planning stages, the project secured the necessary funding in February 2023. The town awarded a $3.565 million contract for the water plant rehabilitation to Orders Construction of St. Albans, and Boca Construction of Norfolk, Ohio, won the $649,814 bid for the East Kermit waterline replacement.

Funding for the project includes a USDA loan/grant of $2.433 million, a Congressional Direct Spending grant of $2.7 million, and $686,000 in state matching funds. Kermit’s attorney, Todd Swanson of Steptoe and Johnson, noted during the Aug. 12 meeting that the USDA loan/grant package includes over $1 million in excess funds, which could potentially be used for the water tank project.

Swanson on that date conducted the first reading of an ordinance authorizing the application for a USDA loan of up to $2.5 million. He explained that the amount would be adjusted to minimize the town’s borrowing.

The ordinance received its second reading Monday, with final approval expected Sept. 9.