When Mount Airy Town Councilman John Woodhull told his colleagues about the town's little-known, decades-old practice of providing free water to local churches, he expected a couple minutes of discussion, maybe some laughter, and then an end to the custom.
Water usage is a big concern in the town, and giving it away, Woodhull said, sends the wrong message.
But in January, the council voted to go forward with what appears to be an unusual custom.
And last night, after a lengthy debate, the panel unanimously decided to postpone voting on a resolution to spell out the exemptions for churches and other nonprofit organizations so that the town's water and sewer commission can weigh in on the practice. That was followed by a 3-2 vote to apply the proposed guidelines to the currently exempt churches in the meantime.
Supporters of the practice, which include Council President David Pyatt and members Wendi Peters and Peter R. Helt, see it as a nod to history and the public service the handful of churches perform. Pastors at Calvary United Methodist Church and St. James' Episcopal, which Pyatt attends, said they offer such services as renting space in their buildings or hosting some nonprofits for free, such as the community food bank and Scout events.
"We're grateful that the town over the years has provided us water at no cost, and we'd be pleased to continue to receive that. ... It's not unusual for a town to want to provide a very small token of support for community organizations," said the Rev. Dennis Yocum at Calvary. "If they change their mind, that's OK, too."
"They really pull their share of the freight," Pyatt said of the churches.
But Woodhull, the council liaison to the water and sewer commission, and Councilman Gary Nelson still question the idea.
"The intention, at one time, I'm sure was very good," Nelson said in an interview. But "the world has changed. ... It's just not a fair policy for the people of the town."
Both say that the policy violates the separation of church and state. Woodhull also questions the rationale of such a policy in a time when water usage is an issue in the town and throughout the county.
The town has been ordered to stop new construction or find additional water, Woodhull said, because it has permitted more development than it is allowed to pump water for.
"We're doing a lot to foster conservation," Woodhull said, adding that providing free water does little to encourage people to value the resource.
