Barbee Sewer Future Hangs In The Balance
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
There's a growing sentiment that the proposed Barbee sewer plan is all but dead, but representatives on both sides of the issue say that's not the case.
With elections to four of the five seats coming up in February, Barbee Lakes Quality Network President Scott Fox said he believes the overriding sentiment opposes the sewer plan and points to a vote last year in which Quality Network member Barry Hecker won election by a 495-217 margin.
"Since then, we've had 7-- or 800 letters submitted to the state opposing the system," Fox said. "We feel those numbers reflect what's going on."
The Quality Network has already lined up for candidates for the election, and the Barbee Lakes Conservancy District has people slated who support the need for a sewer.
Last week, opponents forced the district into an agreement in which the district will wait until after the election to make any more major decisions. The district agreed rather than fight a pending lawsuit seeking an injunction.
Amid speculation about the sewer's future, conservancy district board president Jack Maule made his feelings clear during a meeting Tuesday.
"As far as I'm concerned, the sewer's not dead yet," Maule told a crowd of about 35 people at the Conservation Club.
If Quality Network wins control of the district board, Fox said they would not dissolve the district. Instead, it would look at pollution problems and solutions on a smaller scale rather than a districtwide solution.
"There's cluster systems available. We're just learning a lot of things right now," Fox said.
Fox said the network will meet soon to draft a plan of action that might be considered if they take control of the district.
Meanwhile, Maule said he and other supporters are concerned about the proposed $18 million cost. Seeking to privatize the project is a direct effort to cut costs wherever possible.
He said the board is not interested in a project that would require homeowners to pay monthly sewer fees upward of $60. A more acceptable level would be in the $40 range.
Although the project would likely cost each homeowner about $10,000 through monthly sewer payments stretched over time, Maule said he's bothered by rumors fed by opponents suggesting homeowners would be expected to pay $10,000 up front. The rumors are so persistent that a banker told him that two homeowners approached him about options to prepare for the fee.
"That's really stretching the truth," Maule said. "It's very misleading."
He said people visiting the area are often shocked that the lakes area isn't already "sewered."
He said he believes if the district doesn't take action on its own, the government will eventually mandate sewers be installed.
If that happens, cost of the project will be much harder to control, Maule said. [[In-content Ad]]
There's a growing sentiment that the proposed Barbee sewer plan is all but dead, but representatives on both sides of the issue say that's not the case.
With elections to four of the five seats coming up in February, Barbee Lakes Quality Network President Scott Fox said he believes the overriding sentiment opposes the sewer plan and points to a vote last year in which Quality Network member Barry Hecker won election by a 495-217 margin.
"Since then, we've had 7-- or 800 letters submitted to the state opposing the system," Fox said. "We feel those numbers reflect what's going on."
The Quality Network has already lined up for candidates for the election, and the Barbee Lakes Conservancy District has people slated who support the need for a sewer.
Last week, opponents forced the district into an agreement in which the district will wait until after the election to make any more major decisions. The district agreed rather than fight a pending lawsuit seeking an injunction.
Amid speculation about the sewer's future, conservancy district board president Jack Maule made his feelings clear during a meeting Tuesday.
"As far as I'm concerned, the sewer's not dead yet," Maule told a crowd of about 35 people at the Conservation Club.
If Quality Network wins control of the district board, Fox said they would not dissolve the district. Instead, it would look at pollution problems and solutions on a smaller scale rather than a districtwide solution.
"There's cluster systems available. We're just learning a lot of things right now," Fox said.
Fox said the network will meet soon to draft a plan of action that might be considered if they take control of the district.
Meanwhile, Maule said he and other supporters are concerned about the proposed $18 million cost. Seeking to privatize the project is a direct effort to cut costs wherever possible.
He said the board is not interested in a project that would require homeowners to pay monthly sewer fees upward of $60. A more acceptable level would be in the $40 range.
Although the project would likely cost each homeowner about $10,000 through monthly sewer payments stretched over time, Maule said he's bothered by rumors fed by opponents suggesting homeowners would be expected to pay $10,000 up front. The rumors are so persistent that a banker told him that two homeowners approached him about options to prepare for the fee.
"That's really stretching the truth," Maule said. "It's very misleading."
He said people visiting the area are often shocked that the lakes area isn't already "sewered."
He said he believes if the district doesn't take action on its own, the government will eventually mandate sewers be installed.
If that happens, cost of the project will be much harder to control, Maule said. [[In-content Ad]]