Tyrrell County Interim County Administrator Ken Windley addressed the Creswell Town Board on Aug 12 asking if it would consider adding more Tyrrell County resident to the sewer line.
Windley, who spoke on behalf of Hester Swain who was also present, told the council he hoped they would be willing to help Swain.
Windley explained that Swain had a recent financial hardship.
“She had a septic tank on a rental home that she needs the income from. It was damaged beyond repair when they were installing the sewer system in her area. She desperately needs the income and needs some help from you guys,” Windley said.
Hester Swain said contractors broke the septic tank, pulled a board across it and poured dirt over it.
“I had tenants in there but they couldn’t stand it, they had to leave. Can’t nobody stay there because there is waste literally floating under the trailer,” she told the council.
The trailer had a history of using about twenty-one hundred gallons per day over the last three years.
“It will probably not be more than that in the future,” Windley stressed.
Windley mentioned that the Creswell Board would probably not see him again until the sewer is complete so that added some urgency to the request.
Ann Cheryl Swain had a question for Windley about who is supposed take responsibility for Swain’s situation.
“Aren’t you folks responsible when something goes wrong with what your contractor is hired to do?” she asked.
Swain said that she had a property in Tyrrell County that was going to be coming on the system.

“If Tyrrell County is going to go on my land and tear something up and the county not back it to get it fixed, that is not good,” she said.
Windley mentioned that T.A. Loving, the contractor in question, has liability insurance. However the company will not submit a claim.
“The county has made effort after effort to get T.A. Loving to come back and they refuse to come. I guess is a difference of opinion on responsibility,” he said.
Windley said that he felt like T.A. Loving would not be back to do work for the county.
The council agreed with Windley noting the poor work that TA Loving did for Creswell under Tyrrell County’s contract.Windley said that Tyrrell County would ensure the proper placement and hookup of the tank and would make sure that nothing seeped through.

The Council approved the request.

The project has a long history with many stages.

Tyrrell County and Creswell signed a forty year contract for Creswell to receive, treat and dispose of wastewater from Tyrrell sewer system west of Columbia.

 Creswell contracted  to construct a wastewater treatment plant.

 Tyrrell contracted with TA Loving to install septic tanks, pumps and collection lines south of US 64, and some work inside Creswell

 Tyrrell contracted with someone other than TA Loving to install infractructure north of US 64, and the whole project should be completed by Christmas