Cities updated on sewer expansion

It's a tale of two cities serviced by the same sewer district. Members of Ellisport Bay Sewer board attended council meetings at East Hope and Hope last week in order to update authorities on possible sewer expansion.

Sewer board chairwoman Ruth Watkins told the councils that they met with the Forest Service in late August to pursue the possibility of obtaining 80 acres of land abutting the current sewer treatment facility.

"There are three ways to approach this," Watkins said, "First is an exchange, it's a lengthy process. Not not doable but time consuming. The second is to purchase the land which literally takes an act of Congress although it was done in Priest Lake and third would be a long-term lease."

Forty of the acres would be used for land application and the other forty acres would be perfect for adding new lagoons according to Watkins.

Watkins emphasized that this is pure conjecture at this point, as the Forest Service hasn't indicated that any of the above options would be approved.

"We're a long way from turning dirt," Watkins said. The Sam Owens family originally gave the Forest Service land to the government. The board needs to research whether or not there were any restrictions put into the deed.

Watkins said that acquiring this land wouldn't solve all the problems. However, it would allow service to Sam Owens campgrounds, Beyond Hope development, seventeen homes in the Grandview project, Pend Oreille Shores Resort and twenty-one homes that didn't hook up before and possible more.

At the Hope council meeting, Mayor Larry Keith said that he hoped the project could go through.

"We would all like to see the whole peninsula sewered," Keith said, "I think we're all in favor of this happening for the whole community.

All property owners in the district will pay the levy for the feasibility study to expand the system, Watkins told both councils. When the district was established every property owner contributed whether or not they were in the service area so it is fair for everyone, even those already on the sewer to pay for the others.

The board is seeking a grant to pay for half of the study and the developers of Grandview Terrace are offering $5,000 to offset some of the $50,000 price tag. Watkins said that the grant application is on hold until the board hears whether or not the Forest Service is on board.

Ed Butler, council member from East Hope and former Forest Service employee suggested the board check into whether or not the Forest Service would declare the property as excess land. He thought that might make the process easier.

Also at the East Hope meeting, council member Jerry Clemons said that from an ecological standpoint the focus should be on lakeshore properties and that Idaho Fish and Game should be a huge ally.

"I think if we need to push along, we wouldn't be hard pressed to find friends and allies in the community." Watkins agreed.

Plan B for the project would be to pump wastewater to the east, possibly picking up Clark Fork along the way. Watkins said that there were no grants available for building sewer systems, but there are low interest rates.

Both councils were told that the sewer board will send out newsletters and set up workshops to involve the whole community as they go forward with the expansion.