In a three to two vote on Tuesday night the board of the Chattooga County Water District voted to replace former Chairman Sammy Lee with board member Brad Hayes.  

The split vote came after a motion was made by Mike Dawson to make Larry Wesson the chairman.  That motion died for lack of a second.  Then board member Jimmy Holbrook nominated Sammy Lee for another term as chairman.  That vote also died for lack of a second.  Board member Larry Wesson then nominated Brad Hayes as chairman and it was seconded by Mike Dawson.  In the final vote Hayes, Dawson and Wesson voted in favor of Brad Hayes to be the next chairman of the water board.

In other business the board voted to purchase a used four-wheel drive backhoe and either trading or accepting bids on the Ford two-wheel drive backhoe that the water department currently has.  Superintendent Lance Stowe said that the two-wheel drive backhoe was not as versatile as a four-wheel drive would be.  The money for the backhoe will come out of SPLOST funds.

In other business the board voted to establish a special rate for agricultural water use.  AM 1180 will have more on the agricultural water rate and the cost of an agricultural use meter on Thursday.

* Jimmy Holbrook serves on the Chattooga County Water District Board.