With the sudden death last week of Tim Porter, administrator of the Union-Rome Sewer District, the Lawrence County Commission must now choose his successor.

To operate the district Porter had to have a Class 4 classification but the two employees who could be potential candidates only have their Class 3 certifications.

“We want to ask the EPA to allow one of them to operate the plant while he earns his Class 4,” Lawrence County Commissioner Bill Pratt said.

Porter was overseeing an approximately $1 million sewer project near the Collins Career Center at Getaway.

Originally the system was to have a 10,000-gallon capacity just to serve the school following a $22 million renovation of the center.

However, that project was expanded to a 35,000-gallon capacity that would serve 85 residential customers who live hear the center’s site at a cost of $300,000 to the county so it could join the school’s system.