DAPHNE — Belforest Water System members agreed Thursday to accept a $4,347.95 check for alleged purchase improprieties.

But that doesn’t mean that all of the five-member board are satisfied that this settles the controversy.

The unanimous action was taken at the board’s May 28 meeting, according to an official recording made of the session.

Prior to the discussion and vote, president Frances Rigsby opened an envelope containing a cashier’s check from former water system contractor Ray Simmons.

Board members supported a motion to accept the check “in full payment for the matter of the over-purchase of materials for the building shed two done in 2006,” according to system records.

However following the unanimous vote, Rigsby expressed regret about the situation.

“Even though we have gotten this money, I’m still not happy with the situation,” Rigsby said.

“We have learned a lesson here about bids, billing and that anything over $250 — if it’s going to be a building — it should be bid out. It should not be let go like this,” she said.

“I still would like to know where all the overages went and I reserve the right to not be happy with this, but I will accept it.”

Future action may be necessary because of the nature of the controversy, Rigsby said.

“I feel like we were swindled, like this is just blank theft of our property,” she said.

Whether the check will cover all of the questionable expenses is still open to debate, Rigsby said.

“This (check) will cover most of it. I still think the labor was exorbitant, but we will not have this happen again,” she said.

“And we will watch the community’s money a little bit closer,” Rigsby said. “I just feel this was a slap in the face to the board, the community and to the people in the system.”

Her comments prompted agreement from fellow board member Lyles.

“Things never should have come to this. It was sloppy handling by the board members who oversaw this project and signed checks for the work to be done; for the labor,” Lyles said.

Rigsby said that board members never saw invoices for the building materials purchased for this project.

“(Former board president) Tommy Mitchell was handling it and he would give a little report on how the building was coming up and that was it,” she said.

Mitchell, who left the board in mid-2006, could not be reached for comment. He did not return calls to The Bulletin.

Checks were issued to Ray Simmons for the physical work done at the new building, but board members were also unaware of the exact nature of his services, Rigsby said.

Simmons was unwilling to discuss the project when contacted Monday by phone.

“I did the labor on the whole thing. This is just some of the crap they’ve started; I don’t even want to get involved,” Simmons said before hanging up.

After seeking advice from an accountant and a lawyer, board members decided to try to recoup money for the reportedly missing items, Rigsby said.

She said the board had set a June 1 deadline for payment on this matter.

“It was for payment of the trusses, tin and the lumber that was not used in here,” Rigsby said.

Mitchell delivered an envelope containing a cashier’s check from Simmons for $4,347.95 as specified by the board, Rigsby said.

Neither Mitchell nor Simmons attended the monthly water board meeting which was held on May 31, she said.