WINDSOR – Powellsville Mayor Thomas Asbell sought help from the Bertie County Board of Education here last week.

During the regular meeting of the school system’s elected officials, the mayor appeared to seek consideration from the board to give the wastewater infrastructure at C.G. White More at Four and Preschool to the town.

“You can help make our vision come true,” Asbell told the school board.

The mayor then laid out the plans of the Powellsville Town Council. He said the town is currently beginning construction on providing town wastewater to the citizens within its corporate limits.

Asbell added, however, that he and the town board wanted to provide wastewater for all those in the Powellsville community. There are 135 residents in the town receiving town water and a total of 744, he said. The town board’s plan is to provide wastewater to all 744 customers if possible.

“We want everyone we serve with water to be able to have wastewater service,” Asbell said.

Currently, the town has applied for a grant to add 70 homes to the wastewater system at the end of the current project.

The mayor said his board believed that eventually wastewater would need to be provided to the entirety of Bertie County and that every bit that is done now will help when that happens.

The current grant would need the cooperation of the school board, Asbell said.

“We believe we have a good chance of being funded, but not without your cooperation,” he said.

The wastewater facility at C.G. White likely would be unused after the town provides its new wastewater service because the Powellsville Town Council adopted a mandatory hookup policy, meaning the school will have to be connected to town wastewater.

“What we’re asking for is for you to provide cooperation and to share our vision with us,” Mayor Asbell said.

School board member Pamela Chamblee asked if Asbell had a written plan that could be reviewed. He said he did, but it was not with him, he was simply looking for a spirit of cooperation.

“Are you asking us to give it to you,” board member Alton H. Parker asked.

“That would be very nice of you,” Asbell replied.

Board member Rickey Freeman asked if the wastewater facilities at C.G. White had the capacity to do what the town needed and Asbell said it would require a major upgrade, but it could be done.

Board Chairwoman Emma H. Johnson asked if Powellsville had done a feasibility study and Asbell said one had been completed. She then asked that all the documentation be given to the board for its review.

Board Attorney Carolyn Waller said her firm would need to do some research to see if it were even lawful for the board of education to give any property to a town.

The mayor said he would provide all documentation to Waller for her review.

“We can’t do much until we find out the specifics of the law,” Parker commented.

Chamblee added that while that was true, she would support the idea if it were legal.

“If people can benefit – taxpayers can benefit – I’d be supportive,” she said.