In chapter 28, Harry starts to implement his recent plan to become involved in the local community, both Cumberland County and the City of Fayetteville. Consistent with his training and experience, the initial focus of his efforts in community involvement will be the drinking water treatment plants, as well as the wastewater plants that discharge to the river used as the source of water coming out of faucets in homes and businesses.
Harry calls the Fayetteville office of the DEQ and speaks with a knowledgeable environmental specialist in Water Resources. The DEQ staffer is friendly and very helpful. The DEQ staffer will email the inspection reports that Harry will study to get up-to-speed on the various facilities, including the water treatment and wastewater treatment plants.
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"You are just a citizen down in Fayetteville. The agency staff are too busy to talk with you. They only talk with the companies and the consultants," she said with a tone of authority.
"But that is not the way it works," Harry protested. "We took calls from everyone and tried to help them. We tried to answer questions and assist, no matter who was calling us."
"You were working in the Fayetteville office a long time ago," she responded.
"Yes, but I was working in the Raleigh regional office just last year in 2019. I've worked in five different offices - the Archdale building, the Parker-Lincoln building, the Winston-Salem regional office, the Fayetteville office, and the Raleigh regional office. In every single agency office we have tried to provide information and answer questions from anyone and everyone that called us."
Suddenly, her tone changed and she became friendlier. At that moment, it seemed quite possible to Harry that some agency boss in Raleigh may have directed her to make this false and somewhat inappropriate response. Harry began to feel some empathy for the person on the phone. Who would have instructed her to say something of this nature, he wondered.
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cast of characters
