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GILBERT OUT AS COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR

By Jon Mayhew

Lincoln County leaders Monday night fired the county public
works director after a closed session for personnel, and The
Carolina Scoop has learned it may be over the lack of land
purchases regarding the county’s quest to build a new waste
water treatment plant.

County manager George Wood made the announcement in an
email to The Carolina Scoop, citing personnel reasons for not
being able to discuss why Gilbert’s last day with the county will
be Friday.

However, sources tell The Carolina Scoop that all of the land
“may not have been purchased” for the new Killian Creek
Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP) even though county leaders
recently awarded contracts and the project is scheduled to start
either later this year or sometime in 2010.

As of earlier this week, all of the land for the new plant had not
been purchased.

Recently, county commissioners unanimously voted to award
contracts totaling more than $19 million to construct a new plant
near the Lowesville community in eastern Lincoln County.

Monroe-based State Utilities Contractors won a $4.5 million bid
award to construct pump stations, gravity sewer lines and force
mains. Wharton-Smith, based in Charlotte, was given a nod to
construct the sewer plant itself on 38 acres for more than $14.5
million.

Gilbert served as the county’s public works director for the past
seven years.

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