Greg Nugent Announces Resignation As Edmonson County Water Commissioner at Fiscal Court

EC Water Commissioner Greg Nugent shares his thoughts on the current water situation at an EC Fiscal Court meeting on Feb. 12, 2024.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Brownsville resident Greg Nugent announced at last night's Edmonson County Fiscal Court meeting that he was resigning his position as an Edmonson County Water District Commissioner.

Nugent's resignation is the third leadership position vacated over the past several months under public scrutiny regarding Edmonson County's continuing water supply situation and issues. General Manager Tony Sanders, who served in his position for over 10 years recently stepped down for a different role in the Water District, and Nugent announced last night at the meeting that Tim Brewster was stepping down in his leadership role at the water treatment plant.

Malcolm Doyle, a Cedar Springs resident, respectfully addressed the Fiscal Court last night and shared his disapproval of the Fiscal Court's decision to not reappoint Barry Rich to the District Water Board. The Water District has credited Rich for single-handedly discovering the dangerously low water levels caused by the removal of Lock and Dam No. 5 in Roundhill. The District says Rich saw the low levels while crossing the bridge, gathered other members of the commission, and immediately went to the dam removal site and halted the project until more could be learned. Nugent has said in recent interviews that the county's water supply may have even been stopped had Rich not stepped in.

In December, an item on the Fiscal Court agenda was to reappoint Rich to another term on the Water Commission; however, no magistrate made a motion to do so, and the item died. No reason was given as to why Rich was not reappointed, nor have any other names been mentioned publicly, and the seat is still open. Now, magistrates will have to vote on two more seats to fill with the resignation of Nugent. The Fiscal Court went into closed session last night to discuss the issue.

"We discussed the open Water Board positions," Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey told the Edmonson Voice today. "We will try to make the appointments of the two open positions at our next meeting on the 26th."

Mr. Doyle addressed the court calmly but firmly, and sounded much like a father giving the classic "I'm not mad but disappointed," speech. None of the magistrates responded to Doyle's comments.

"I just want to say I don't mean any disrespect to anybody here but I disagree with the way y'all have done Barry Rich on the Water Board," Doyle said. "We're talking about a man that spent 48 years of dedication of his life for his county. A magistrate for 28 years, 16 years on the water board...he's done as much for this county as anybody ever did."

Mr. Doyle went on to express his concerns about the water supply and the role that the U.S. Corps of Engineers has played in the removal of the dams, which have proven to be the cause for water levels, resulting in intake issues for the Water District. Doyle said he could have filled the courtroom with supporters of Barry Rich, but said he did not, as requested by Mr. Rich.

Judge Lindsey said that the Water District is being blamed for things out of their control. He also told Mr. Doyle and the crowd that lawmakers at state and federal levels are offering their assistance for the water situation.

"It's just difficult because people are in control of things that we can't control," said Lindsey. "And that's hard."

Judge Lindsey did not directly address the failed motion of the reappointment of Rich to the Water Board.

 

Malcolm Doyle speaks to the Edmonson County Fiscal Court on February 12, 2024.

Upon the conclusion of his remarks, Greg Nugent asked if he could address the court, to which Judge Lindsey permitted.

"Your Water District Board has been working tirelessly to take care of some of these issues," Nugent said. "Issues that come from an aging system in the Wax community, a system that the Corps of Engineers turned over to the Edmonson County Water District many years ago."

He went on to say that the District reached out to some bordering counties several years ago to serve their residents when their own counties would not. He discussed the Wax treatment plant.

"Edmonson County Water District reaches a lot of people, and with that comes a large system--700 miles of lines, and even with an aging system, they tried to help the people. You never do wrong when you try to do right, but with that, is a large system that needs repair."

He reminded the court that the District does not set local rates; they are set by the Public Service Commission. He also told the court that backlash from the community from the amount of boil water advisories that are happening now are not completely justified.

"Edmonson County Water District is funded by their customers," he said. "It's not tax dollars and it's not the magistrates' fault or the judge's fault, because it's all funded by the customers. We do get some grants and funding for different things, but it's customer-funded."

On February 2, 2024, the Edmonson Voice received a statement from the U.S. Corps of Engineers described in the subject line as "regarding misperceptions in local community surrounding Green River Lock and Dam 5 removal." They stated:

"It has been brought to our attention that there is a significant amount of inaccurate information in the local community that continues to inaccurately correlate reported water quality issues in Grayson and Hart counties (specifically the area served by the Wax Treatment Plant) with the removal of Green River Lock and Dam Number 5 near Glenmore, Kentucky."
 
"The anticipated removal of Green River Lock and Dam Number 5 – set to resume in Summer 2024—is completely unrelated to water quality issues at the Edmonson County Wax water treatment plant. There are two separate water treatment plants that serve the local area. Edmonson County Water District treats surface water from the Green River at the Brownsville treatment plant and from Nolin Lake at the Wax treatment plant."

Nugent went on to explain the boil water advisory protocol that the District follows. He said by law, an advisory has to be issued anytime a line breaks or is cut or repaired, but just because an advisory is issued, it doesn't mean the water is unsafe for use.

"That doesn't mean your water is bad, it means that the Edmonson County Water District follows the law. I've been told that some districts don't."

He said he hoped that his words were received.

"You're water is safe," he said. "It's tested by government standards and there should be no outcry. There's been a ton of outcry that the water is bad. Your water is not bad. Water is being done the way it should be--the way it's been done for years, it's just all bad information out there."

He credited a Water District worker in the crowd for his hard work.

"He's the guy in the ditch in the middle of the night, when it's 20 degrees, so everybody can have water. He's sitting on the front row by Malcolm. He's concerned. He goes to bed with it. And I want you to know that everyone at the Water District cares about your water."

He also said he felt for Barry Rich, and said there was a good chance had Rich not acted when the Lock removal project was underway, the District would not have been able to pump water out of the river. He also credited Rich with political influence on state lawmakers to provide local assistance.

"We're fighting as hard as we can, trying to find solutions," he said. "I didn't come tonight to say anything during this meeting, but since it was brought up, I'm turning in my resignation to the Edmonson County Water District. I hope they put somebody on the board that can do a better job, maybe younger, maybe smarter, and get this all taken care of, because it's going to bed with all of us. I wake up in the middle of the night wide awake, with this on my mind. I have to get up, start doing research about what to do, and two or three hours later, I might go to bed. It's very difficult. I want you to know your water is good. Those boil water advisories do not mean your water is bad. People don't know that. It doesn't mean it's not there for a reason--it could be--but 99.9% of the time it's fine but there's a reason to have that, don't get me wrong. Go ahead and boil it, do what they say. I just want you all to understand what's going on."

Nugent said he would remain on the board for 30 more days and encouraged water customers to ask questions and specifically to attend the Water Board meetings. He thanked the court for listening.