Sewer proposal unpopular, unworkable and unaffordable

SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer Board continues to abuse the citizens it was elected to represent. At its meeting last week it quickly disregarded a petition signed by 182 residents opposing mandatory hook-ups and voted 3-1 to mandate them. 

It caved to Pyramid when its spokesman pointed out Pyramid pays 20 percent of the administrative fee, around $9,000 a year, but does not and will not enjoy 20 percent of the “benefit” of the sewer system. 

The manager and one Board member immediately voiced their intentions to re-visit the assessment method and reduce Pyramids’ assessment.  While that is fair and proper, it will shift the costs to the other (low-income) residents in the District. The Board, by-the-way, voted 3-l again to double this fee.  Only Board member Beth Hutchinson had the courage to vote NO.

At some point the Board must come to the realization their proposal is unpopular, unworkable and unaffordable.  It plans to concentrate three million gallons of effluent every month, pump it uphill, “treat” it, then discharge it with 15 percent of the community’s nitrates, all its medical wastes and all the chemicals from cleaning compounds into the aquifer just upstream from nearly 100 drinking water wells. All of this at a cost of $40 million over 40 years, while the life expectancy of the plant is only 20 years.

Stay tuned…

 

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