6 April 2004 sewer Board Meeting Highlights

Highlights from 6 April 2004 Sewer Board Meeting

Members present: Brett Fehrman, Pat Holland, Pat Hanlon (Acting Chairman), Barry Pruss, Rodney Dennerline, Greg Vollmer. Absent: Mike Hankins, Chairman, who arrived near the end of the meeting.
Att’y Lisa Lehner, Doug Baer, and Vera Benning, Special Advisor, also present.
Minutes of 4 meetings approved.

Special Speaker, Connie Stevens, postponed until May meeting.

Old Business:
1. Joe Tierney- GRW- provided clarification of project cost differences in various areas in an attempt to explain why Cole Lane’s cost differed so much from Stewart Lane and the main area. He stated that with 40 mobile homes on Cole Lane that already were connected to a central system, there was no need for individual grinders for each home. The entire system would be attached to the main. They only have to upgrade the main pumping system. [Note: Does this also apply to the other trailer courts in this district?]
Pat Hanlon wants the figures to be put on the back page to clarify.
Greg Vollmer wanted to be sure all 40 were considered in the effluent treatment figures though. Tierney said yes.
Greg Vollmer wanted them to consider gravity fed for parts of the area- some looked suitable for this - like High Ridge.
2. Lisa Lehner and Joe Tierney presented a reworded easement, which changed the language from plural to singular to reassure owners that only their system was being granted easement rights. References to adjoining properties were eliminated and returning land to proper grade with seed and fertilizer was added.
Pat Hanlon presented several other possible low cost options, but most were ruled out for practical considerations and long-term potential costs. Board seems to desire standardization so that they can easily repair and replace units as needed.
Brett Fehrman wondered if the owner’s own att’y could draft an easement. Lisa Lehner replied that it would have to satisfy the board’s engineering.
3. Advisory Committee- Vera Benning- Committee further discussed easements. They plan to have an easement gathering for all residents in the district at the reception hall on US 50. Space was donated free as well as refreshments, by the owner who lives in the district. Dave Emsweiler will take the easement to his company att’y to get a second opinion, so as to have more back up for the new version possibly.
Much discussion centering on the committee members feeling like they needed more concrete facts to take with them to the residents when requesting the easements. They may use a script so as to standardize what everyone is told and reduce liability issues for the board. Ed Yelton suggested that they use pictures and diagrams to illustrate.
Lisa Lehner stressed that title searches had been done and it was imperative to get the easements ASAP before that work was obsolete. Costs would increase if they have to do that again as land changes hands etc.
Board voted to move forward with the Rural Development grant application with the understanding that the scope of the work could change or be modified later if necessary. They also voted to move forward with the Advisory Board members to get easements as quickly as possible.
Joe Tierney will get Mike Hankins to sign the application and send it to Rural Development.
Joe and Lisa will attend the next advisory committee meeting to assist with the easement plans.
Tierney stated that they would have to see how things play out with Aurora and Dillsboro to determine if the county will have to build it’s own plant. [Note: Building a plant seems to be a recurring theme with Tierney and GRW]
4. Doug Baer- reported that the Lawrenceburg Bond Bank and Community Grant program, info was in their gray folder and they can discuss it at the next meeting after they have time to review the material. “We are slowly running out of funds,” per Doug. He also noted that Lawrenceburg has $100,000 in the Municipal Development Fund that they can apply for by July for 2005.
5. Doug Baer – Insurance is with Seitz Ins. Co. They also have Workers Comp to consider if they hire clerical staff. Binding and liability is purchased and the papers will be forthcoming for Mike Hankins to sign. Lisa will review them first.
6. Doug Baer- Regional Sewer District space in the large closet in the Health Dept. has been OK’d by the Commissioners this week. He will rehab it with a desk, phone, and computer wiring.
7. Joe Tierney – Letters to Aurora and Dillsboro. No decision yet from Randy Turner or Scott Fortner.
8. Pat Hanlon – Petitions against the district were reviewed. Most were concerned with cost issues. “We’re beyond these now.” Per Pat Hanlon.

NEW BUSINESS:
1. Sewer 101 postponed for another meeting possibly due to lateness of the hour.
2. Rural Development and DOC (Dept of Commerce) grants covered under old business.
3. Preliminary engineering report was questioned: Answers- Only High Ridge and Walston Trailer Court were on private plants. Only minor commercial facilities were in this district and on US 50. Flow rates for 4,6,and 8- inch lines will be given at the next meeting by GRW. Doug Baer will make some calls to determine what happens to the abandoned plant and lagoon at High Ridge- i.e. clean-up issues. Doug Baer thought that IDEM might release Superfund money to take care of it. Pat Hanlon gave a history of High Ridge’s sewer woes and the plant owner’s lawsuits and bankruptcy issues. IDEM had apparently proposed another permit on the failed plant in 1999 and the Health Dept. told them no way – they’d have to be “crazier than a pet coon.” Per Hanlon.
4. More clarification of pump costs and Tierney detailed piping details at the board’s requests.
Pay back of 40 years is figured in the study and Pat Holland suggested that they get a long term commitment from whoever they send the sewage to so as to be set and not have to change pipes etc. at some future date. He also suggested that they get expansion set up also so as to accommodate future growth anticipated in that area with several properties up for sale.
Tierney is hoping to make improvements so that Aurora will accept Cole Lane.
Doug Baer informed the board that they were proceeding slowly with out of compliance businesses that are trying to cooperate so that they can solve their problems with this sewer district. That’s why it was imperative that the district move forward in a timely manner.
Questions concerning Rodney Dennerline’s trailer park on Cole Lane – Rodney told the board that it was a non- grinder system with a 4” line from the trailer park to Aurora. The bills were about $50 per month for the residents of the trailer park.
Tierney stated that they were going to put modular units to help at the plant and extra pump stations to help with expansion near the sites for growth possibilities.
Doug Baer stated that no more septic permits were being issued in that area. He also stated that when a new development comes in- it won’t be approved by him on tech review for the Plan Commission unless they have sewage OK’d. That puts the Sewer Board in the driver’s seat.
5.Lisa Lehner gave a brief talk on the Open Door Law and that it applied to both the board and the advisory committee. She illustrated it with examples. Dennerline commented that newspapers were responsible for this law. And that the ”penalty is just that you have to have another meeting.”
6. Working sessions – the board decided to use the second meeting each month as a working session- open to the public- BUT no public comment during these sessions.
Meeting adjourned 10:30 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township