NORTH WEBSTER - About 500 area property owners, residents and state and local officials gathered Saturday at the North Webster Community Center to discuss the formation of a regional sewer district in the Barbee Lakes area.
The Kosciusko County commissioners submitted a petition to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management in late 2006 to form the sewer district, known as Lakeland Regional Sewer District, which would include property around Kuhn, Big Barbee, Little Barbee, Irish, Sechrist, Sawmill, Banning and Shoe lakes.Regional sewer districts in Indiana cannot be funded through taxes, instead they are funded through user fees from property owners connected to the system. If the district is formed, a local board will be formed to decide whether to build a public sewer system in the area and which properties will be required to connect to the new system.
Saturday, IDEM Regional Office Director Michael Aylesworth and Regional Water and Sewer District Coordinator Lynne Newlon accepted questions and testimony from the audience to be included in the official record IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly will review before deciding whether to establish the district.
The county appointed David Doctor, North Webster, to head up the effort to establish the sewer district. Doctor said a public sewer would be an improvement over the septic systems currently used in the area and would help protect the region's soil and water from contamination from aging, leaking septic systems.
Doctor said lots in the area do not meet the 20,000-square-foot minimum size to allow for the required safe distance separating septic tanks and groundwater wells.
"In all, 80 percent of the properties in the area, if you were building today, are not buildable because of lot sizes," Doctor said.
Doctor also said many septic systems in the area are aging, and leaks become more common with old systems. Denise Wright, Indiana Department of Health, attended Saturday's hearing and outlined the weaknesses of septic systems. "Everyone in this room is using an on-site system," Wright said, "but, there are limitations to continued use of those systems."
According to Doctor, the sewer district could become part of a larger infrastructure network in the county.
"We're looking at this in the bigger picture," he said. "As time goes on, this may take in other areas, not just the Barbee Lakes."
Property owners lined up to speak on both sides of the issue. Jane Bohlin, Leesburg, owns property on Shoe Lake. She said she is not convinced a regional sewer district is a good idea.
"I own property that is too small," Bohlin said. "That's my problem, not everyone else's to fix."
Bohlin said area property owners should know how much a public sewer system would cost them before the sewer district is established.
"We're paying for it," she said. "We're going to be assessed for it for the rest of our lives. We should have a vote. One person on a board should not decide for us."
Doctor said the studies necessary to estimate the cost of the sewer system cannot be completed until a regional sewer district and board are formed.
"One of the things a lot of people ask is, 'What is it going to cost?'" Doctor said. "I can't answer that. Nobody can."
Chris Paraschos, Leesburg, also said he opposes a sewer district. "Do we have any say in if this goes in, or can we in some way stop it if we wish?" Paraschos said.
"I suggest you inquire with legal council," Doctor answered.
Tom Cowgill, Illinois, owns property on Kuhn Lake. He said increased public involvement in the management of lake property in the county is natural as more people move into the county. Cowgill said he's in favor of establishing the sewer district.
"I'm for it. I think we have to understand that the more population comes into the area, the more interest the public will have as to what goes on in this lake's area," Cowgill said.
Ronald Warner, Warsaw, owns property on Little Barbee Lake. "Absolutely we need this sewer district," said Warner. "I've seen numerous examples of huge pollution problems on Barbee Lake."
James Harvey, Fort Wayne, owns property on Big Barbee Lake. Harvey said he thinks the sewer district is needed to protect the area's lake properties.
"We're not just talking about lake contamination," Harvey said. "We're talking about contamination of adjacent properties. That's everybody's problem."
Brian Spangle, Leesburg, said his property has a new septic system that is in good working order.
"I'm on one of the outlying areas of this sewer district," said Spangle. "I'm being forced to hook into this to help pay for people who are right down by the lake. Why are you forcing perfectly good septic systems out of service to pay for other systems down by the lake?"
Newlon said if the sewer district is established, there is a way property owners with new septic systems can pursue a permit from the county to keep their septic systems instead of connecting to the public sewer.
IDEM will accept written questions and comments on the proposed sewer district until Sept. 8. Written comments must be sent to Newlon at 100 N. Senate Ave., MC 65-40 IGCN-1255 Indianapolis, IN 46204.
If Easterly decides to establish the district, notice will be published in the Times-Union along with Indiana code source. Appeals may be made within 30 days of publication of decision.
