By STEPHANIE BRUMFIELD / Staff Writer

The Shelby County Commission voted to set up a sewer rate review board during its Aug. 12 meeting.

The board will be comprised of Michael Cain, manager of water services, and two Shelby County residents who were appointed to the board during the meeting. The purpose of the board is to increase surveillance of rising sewer rates in north Shelby County.

County Commissioner Rick Shepherd said the county does not own the sewer system in the Greystone and Eagle Point areas of north Shelby County, and the rates had been increasing more recently than they had in previous years.

“It’s come to our attention that we can appoint … employees outside of the county to review these rates as they increase or decrease,” Shepherd said. “The county wants a little more visibility into the rates.”

The commission agreed to set up a three-person board with members appointed on a two-and three-term basis.

Shepherd and chairperson Lindsey Allison spoke to the homeowners’ associations in Greystone and Eagle Point to decide who would serve alongside Cain on the board.

Based on recommendations made by the homeowners’ associations, the commission approved Ronald Ward, Greystone Country Club president and residents’ association president, and Eagle Point resident and HOA president Raymond Newton to the board.