County Administrator George Touart called last night. He believes he’s being made the scapegoat on this issue and is being treated unfairly.
“There’s nobody more in favor of moving that plant than me, Outzen. That’s the God’s honest truth.”Â
Touart said that Commissioner Marie Young has asked that the ECUA plan be put on the agenda for Jan. 4th. Touart has his finance people working on three options for the county to pay their share of moving the plant. “But it’s up to the commissioners. George Touart doesn’t decide how to spend the money. They will decide.”
Touart went on to say he balked at the original idea that was floated that county would have to pay $30 million (see the other blog posts – current plan has county paying $6.8 million over 10 years). “We simply don’t have that kind of money.”
Touart pledged to give the IN the three recommendations as soon as his staff completes the work. “I’ve brought open government to Escambia County. You will get everything we have on it.”