Lakeland Seeks Way to Allow New Connections
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jordan Fouts-
He said the board has received multiple inquiries from people who were not included in the plan, either because they didn’t sign easements or recently bought or plan to build property in the district. None of them are covered by the funding the USDA allocated for the project, but the agency recently encouraged the district to find a process to allow them to take advantage of the fact that the system is now under construction.
Haney noted the idea is to find an economical way for property owners to connect during construction, at their own expense, rather than having to wait till afterward when it will be more expensive.
“We have the blessing of the USDA to try to put together a process that makes sense to the district and that also makes sense to the USDA, and that abides by the law as well,” he said.
Board member Bob Sanders said it’s a good step but that he doesn’t trust the USDA, since it seems to be a reversal of the department’s earlier position.
“The part where they had us saying, ‘No, too bad, so sad’ makes no sense,” he remarked.
The board also announced that it will amend the rate ordinance to include a metered rate for campgrounds as well as a non-metered rate, and pass a separate ordinance covering the process for a campground getting the metered rate. The rate is proposed at $3.80 per bill and $1.64 per 1,000 gallons of flow during construction, increasing to $14.70 per 1,000 gallons once the system is running.
They will vote on the two issues after a public advertisement and public hearing.
The board earlier voted to go with whatever is cheapest when it comes time to run power lines to the wastewater treatment plant. The plan originally called for installing all lines underground, which Casey Erwin, DLZ, said could add up to $20,000 in order to go under a creek across the path.
He said they have the option of having poles and overhead lines installed, though both aerial lines and underground conduits have pros and cons – the former is liable to ice up or be struck by falling trees, but the latter is more difficult to fix. The district will likely go with a mix of the two.
And the board approved pay applications for the four segments of the project now under construction: $251,940 for the wastewater treatment plant; $381,000 for collection system part A; $521,893 for part B; and $34,247 for part C. The main treatment tank for the plant is now being installed, Erwin reported, while force main and later line installation is progressing for the collection system.[[In-content Ad]]
He said the board has received multiple inquiries from people who were not included in the plan, either because they didn’t sign easements or recently bought or plan to build property in the district. None of them are covered by the funding the USDA allocated for the project, but the agency recently encouraged the district to find a process to allow them to take advantage of the fact that the system is now under construction.
Haney noted the idea is to find an economical way for property owners to connect during construction, at their own expense, rather than having to wait till afterward when it will be more expensive.
“We have the blessing of the USDA to try to put together a process that makes sense to the district and that also makes sense to the USDA, and that abides by the law as well,” he said.
Board member Bob Sanders said it’s a good step but that he doesn’t trust the USDA, since it seems to be a reversal of the department’s earlier position.
“The part where they had us saying, ‘No, too bad, so sad’ makes no sense,” he remarked.
The board also announced that it will amend the rate ordinance to include a metered rate for campgrounds as well as a non-metered rate, and pass a separate ordinance covering the process for a campground getting the metered rate. The rate is proposed at $3.80 per bill and $1.64 per 1,000 gallons of flow during construction, increasing to $14.70 per 1,000 gallons once the system is running.
They will vote on the two issues after a public advertisement and public hearing.
The board earlier voted to go with whatever is cheapest when it comes time to run power lines to the wastewater treatment plant. The plan originally called for installing all lines underground, which Casey Erwin, DLZ, said could add up to $20,000 in order to go under a creek across the path.
He said they have the option of having poles and overhead lines installed, though both aerial lines and underground conduits have pros and cons – the former is liable to ice up or be struck by falling trees, but the latter is more difficult to fix. The district will likely go with a mix of the two.
And the board approved pay applications for the four segments of the project now under construction: $251,940 for the wastewater treatment plant; $381,000 for collection system part A; $521,893 for part B; and $34,247 for part C. The main treatment tank for the plant is now being installed, Erwin reported, while force main and later line installation is progressing for the collection system.[[In-content Ad]]
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