The Elbert Board of County Commissioners approved a lease agreement to help a county fire district expansion, and will adjudicate water owned by the county along the way.

On Sept. 23, Richard Miller, Community and Development Services director, presented a request to the board from the fire district to lease water from two parcels in the county located in the Chaparral subdivision to the North Central Volunteer Fire District. The fire district is planning an expansion of their facility, which is also located in the Chaparral subdivision in Elbert County. In order to move forward with the expansion, the district needs a 300-year water supply, and currently the district does not have the amount of water. A bond issue will be taken to the voters in the district in November for approval of the expansion.

A $2000 fee is required by the county to pay for the lease application and the adjudication of the water. If the bond issue is approved by the voters, the $2000 fee will be reimbursed to the county. If it is not approved the county will not be reimbursed, but county’s water rights for the two parcels will be adjudicated.

“This is a win-win situation no matter what happens,” Miller said. “We get our water adjudicated and this will help the fire district considerably with their expansion.”