Delaware County Commissioners vote to oppose proposed Mounds Lake Reservoir

The Delaware County Commissioners voted unanimously to pass a resolution, approved by the Delaware County Council last week, not to support the formation of the Mounds Lake Commission to move the project forward and to oppose the $440 million project.

Steve Murphy, Delaware County attorney, said the resolution states that after receiving input from county residents and concerns about drainage issues the county council stated its opposition to the project.

He said the resolution would indicate the commissioners don’t support the formation of the Mounds Lake Commission or the reservoir project.

Last week, the Anderson City Council passed on one of the three required readings an ordinance to join the Mounds Lake Commission.

Reservoir proponents are hopeful that Anderson, Chesterfield, Daleville and Yorktown will vote favorably on the formation of the commission to move forward with a Phase 3 feasibility study, expected to cost $28 million.

Barry Banks, with the Red Tail Land Conservancy, said the ordinance to form the Mounds Lake Commission for some reason removed Delaware and Madison County officials.

“You either have standing or you don’t have standing,” he said. “The decision to remove Delaware and Madison counties from having standing needs to be looked at closely.

“This will impact land in Delaware County, not Yorktown and Daleville,” Banks said.

Murphy said the only action the commissioners could take was to not support the formation of the commission and the reservoir project.

“Delaware County has been disinvited to the party, we don’t know why,” he said.

Mike Jones, a member of the Delaware County Council, said the ordinance creating the commission can still move forward.

“This sends a clear message to the Yorktown and Daleville town councils on how Delaware County feels about the project,” he said. “There are a lot of organizations in opposition.”