MARSHALL - A Madison County infrastructure project more than 20 years in the making has broken ground.
The project will interconnect Marshall and Mars Hill's water and sewer services along N.C. 213. Construction is underway on the Mars Hill side.
Construction will soon begin on the Marshall side, too.
In the Madison County Board of Commissioners' April 8 meeting, the county approved a roughly $4.7 million bid for the contractor to begin purchasing materials to begin work on the Marshall side.
According to Marshall Town Administrator Forrest Gilliam, the dividing line will be near the intersection of N.C. 213, Petersburg Road and Silver Mill Road, at the bottom of the hill heading towards Mars Hill.
County Manager Rod Honeycutt provided updates to the Madison County Board of Commissioners in his report to the board April 8.
The commissioners agreed to enter the contract while the county continues its search to acquire additional land suitable for the project, according to Honeycutt.
The county will oversee the construction of the project, with the end of that ownership of the construction falling to each town after construction.
The project also adds storage capacity, providing another reservoir for Marshall above French Broad Electric.
Commission Chair Matt Wechtel told The News-Record the N.C. 213 project was his top goal for his tenure after being voted chair by the board, which is comprised of Alan Wyatt, Jeremy Hensley, Michael Garrison and Bill Briggs.
Before the board's approval, Honeycutt voiced his approval for the project as well, adding that on April 11 he planned to meet with a landowner about acquisition of property, which Wechtel referred to as "the final piece of that puzzle" for the project.
"I'm ready to see it moving," Honeycutt said.
Garrison inquired about the timeline of the project, to which Honeycutt said he would report back to the board in the next meeting.
The contractor for the project will perform both sides of the project construction simultaneously, according to Wechtel and Honeycutt.
The board unanimously approved entering into the contract for construction on the Marshall side.
Sprinkle Shelton building and courthouse
Engineering firm Davenport performed the assessments on the Sprinkle Shelton building, located at 136 S. Main St., and the Madison County Courthouse in downtown Marshall, both buildings owned by the county.
According to Honeycutt, Davenport estimated in its assessments that the repairs to the courthouse and Sprinkle Shelton building would range from roughly $1.6 million to $5 million.
Danalee Pipes lives in the building next to the Sprinkle Shelton building, at 140 S. Main St. in downtown Marshall. Pipes appeared before the commissioners to talk about safety concerns relating to the building's status after Tropical Storm Helene devastated downtown Marshall.
Pipes' daughter, Sarah Pike, owns Engine House Design, a design studio located on their South Main Street property, where Pipes also lives in a two-story apartment.
Pipes highlighted the historical significance of the building.
"The street level had been the fire department, and the second story had been the town hall for many years," Pipes said, adding that she essentially "put her life savings" into the 140 S. Main St. building.
According to Pipes, the dividing wall separating 136 and 140 S. Main St. has developed a severe moisture problem.
"It's becoming a health issue for us," Pipes said.
Honeycutt said the county commissioners would discuss the projects in its April 23 meeting, adding that he would provide options for the projects, including a cleanup project for roughly $500,000.
Johnny Casey is the Madison County communities reporter for The Citizen Times and The News-Record & Sentinel. He can be reached at 828-210-6074 or [email protected].