DAPHNE — Belforest Water System board members met for a work session Monday night, but the controversy surrounding a new storage building wasn’t discussed.

Following the meeting, however, board secretary/treasurer Tom Whitacre said he believes the situation was handled appropriately and is now closed.

“My position as a board member is that the board unanimously decided to accept that as final resolution to that contract,” Whitacre said.

“So as far as I’m concerned, it’s over,” he said.

Board members accepted a cashier’s check for $4,347.65 from contractor Ray Simmons at the May meeting.

This amount was considered payment for missing items from the storage building construction project, according to board records.

Whitacre also said the checks for the storage building were handled in a routine manner.

“The standard procedure when an invoice comes in, is that the accounting person looks at it to determine whether or not to set it up for payment,” Whitacre said.

“Then I come in, look at the invoice and if the documentation is there, I approve it for payment,” he said.

Board members routinely get a monthly report, Whitacre said.

“And at that point in time, (former board president) Tommy Mitchell gave a report to the board indicating where we were at on the budget and those types of things,” he said.

“They also get a profit and loss statement showing the expenses of the thing. And the board is open to examine the records any time they so choose,” Whitacre said.

Board members can also access a list of checks that have been written, he said.

“We could have answered any questions that they had,” Whitacre said.

Financial records are also open to the public, he said.

“Our board meetings are very open and we try to answer any questions that come before us,” he said.

Other board members weren’t quite as willing to talk Monday.

When asked if he had seen the checks in question or personally approved them, board member Tom Lyles said, “I don’t remember and I’m sorry but I have to go.”

Lyles also said he “didn’t remember” when asked earlier if he had made a motion to accept Simmons’ reimbursement.

Fellow member Mackie Garrett said he wasn’t on the board when the storage building was constructed.

“That happened before I came on the board and I don’t have a cock-eyed thing to say about it.

“But I do think this is a crock of crap,” Garrett said.

Vice president Tania Lazzari did not attend the work session.

During a telephone interview last week, Lazzari also said she “didn’t remember” if she had seconded the motion to accept Simmons’ financial reimbursement.

The next regularly scheduled board meeting is Monday, June 25 beginning at 5:30 p.m., at the Belforest Water System Office on Baldwin County 64.

The meeting is open to the public.