The Lamar County water authority and the county commission will meet June 28 to discuss options for a three-way swap that would dissolve the authority and put its assets ‘“ and debt ‘“ into Barnesville’s hands. The June 21 county meeting was cancelled and the commission will meet after the water authority session, which will be at 5:30 p.m. Under the plan, Barnesville would take on the authority’s 125 miles of water lines and 712 hydrants. In return, Lamar would take over operation of the Barnesville-Lamar County Library, which takes about $190,000 a year to run. The switch would occur over four years, with 25% of funding coming from the county each year until it has 100% control. ’I don’t see how the county can take on that additional burden, as financially strapped as you are,’ said former commission chairman Kent Kingsley at the June 13 water authority’s called meeting. ‘Also, the city will be the controlling factor of growth. You won’t be in charge of your own destiny.’
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