Barbee District Sewer Plan Moves Ahead
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Barbee Lakes Conservancy District board members vowed to move forward with sewer plans despite a raucous crowd of opponents who showed up for a meeting Tuesday.
Although the project has been in the works for nearly five years, the first sign of opposition arose last month and again Tuesday.
Board members agreed to hear concerns even though the time for public input has passed.
The proposed sewer project would affect about 1,400 property owners in the Barbee Lakes chain northeast of Warsaw.
After nearly 40 minutes of input, which included questions about the need and cost of such a project, board vice chairman Lowell Gilmore cut off the debate, and the board agreed to move ahead.
In doing so, Gilmore reminded the crowd it would be six to eight months before further steps are taken.
Afterward opponents announced plans to meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the American Legion in North Webster.
Opponents had sought a six-month moratorium to give more time for collecting data. They questioned the impact the $18 million project would have on property owners and asked if the project is really needed.
Gilmore said they have to submit the project to Indiana Department of Environmental Management before state funding would be considered.
The $18 million represents a starting point without any state support, Gilmore said.
Opponents also claim evidence they've collected shows no environmental need for converting to sewers, and urged the board to show them otherwise.
Some of the property owners contend they were duped.
One resident claimed conservancy board chairman Jack Maule told him earlier in a phone conversation that it didn't appear feasible.
Maule, reacting to the accusation, said he never suggested such a notion.
Some also questioned whether the district's attorney, Dick Green, would make a sizeable profit from the bond issue. Green said he isn't taking any percentage cut from the bond.
Attacks against him and Maule are evidence of inflammatory tactics used to get people excited, Green said.
Maule said plenty of time exists before final approval could arrive. If the timetable remains unchanged, a final decision could be made in June 1998.
The available time, Maule said, will allow the board to seek alternative sources of financing.
"Hopefully, by the millenium, we'll be able to flush," Maule said. [[In-content Ad]]
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Barbee Lakes Conservancy District board members vowed to move forward with sewer plans despite a raucous crowd of opponents who showed up for a meeting Tuesday.
Although the project has been in the works for nearly five years, the first sign of opposition arose last month and again Tuesday.
Board members agreed to hear concerns even though the time for public input has passed.
The proposed sewer project would affect about 1,400 property owners in the Barbee Lakes chain northeast of Warsaw.
After nearly 40 minutes of input, which included questions about the need and cost of such a project, board vice chairman Lowell Gilmore cut off the debate, and the board agreed to move ahead.
In doing so, Gilmore reminded the crowd it would be six to eight months before further steps are taken.
Afterward opponents announced plans to meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the American Legion in North Webster.
Opponents had sought a six-month moratorium to give more time for collecting data. They questioned the impact the $18 million project would have on property owners and asked if the project is really needed.
Gilmore said they have to submit the project to Indiana Department of Environmental Management before state funding would be considered.
The $18 million represents a starting point without any state support, Gilmore said.
Opponents also claim evidence they've collected shows no environmental need for converting to sewers, and urged the board to show them otherwise.
Some of the property owners contend they were duped.
One resident claimed conservancy board chairman Jack Maule told him earlier in a phone conversation that it didn't appear feasible.
Maule, reacting to the accusation, said he never suggested such a notion.
Some also questioned whether the district's attorney, Dick Green, would make a sizeable profit from the bond issue. Green said he isn't taking any percentage cut from the bond.
Attacks against him and Maule are evidence of inflammatory tactics used to get people excited, Green said.
Maule said plenty of time exists before final approval could arrive. If the timetable remains unchanged, a final decision could be made in June 1998.
The available time, Maule said, will allow the board to seek alternative sources of financing.
"Hopefully, by the millenium, we'll be able to flush," Maule said. [[In-content Ad]]