| Bixby residents petition for county sewer district |
By: Wendy Reuer
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Posted: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 10:08 pm
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By WENDY REUER
wreuer@owatonna.com
OWATONNA — Hope has done it, Meriden has done it, and now, citizens of Bixby are hoping they, too, will be able to install a sewer system — with a little help from the county.
Residents submitted a petition signed by nearly all the Bixby residents living on the east side of Highway 218 to the Steele County Board of Commissioners, asking the board to create a sewer district in the area, to be known as the “Bixby Subordinate Service District.”
“Creating a district allows either taxes or special assessments to be spread only among those residents that are being served by it,” said County Coordinator Dave Severson.
Currently, Bixby residents utilize individual septic systems.
“Bixby has very small lots along with private wells, and those lots aren’t big enough to put conforming systems on,” Severson said. “So there’s no way they could do a conforming system on each individual lot. That is why they are looking at this community system.”
Bixby resident Ed Lee agreed the concern is shared among property owners, even those who have a conforming system.
“I have a certified septic system, but if my drain field ever quit working, I don’t have enough land to build another,” Lee said. “Overall it would be better if we have a central system. Also, if we can get a central (system), with most of us having our own wells, we probably won’t be contaminating one another’s wells in the future.”
Last year, Hope and Meriden both installed sewer systems through grants and low-interest loans from Rural Development. The county did front the funds needed as starting costs to the two communities, money that were later paid back through U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development funding. However, both communities’ townships were able to support the projects.
The citizens of Bixby are receiving guidance from Aaron Wills, community sewage treatment facilitator for the Cannon River Watershed Partnership.
Wills said that after discussions among the townships who have installed the systems, individuals felt it turned out to be much larger projects than expected, and more difficult than thought for such small government agencies, which is why Bixby residents are asking for a district under the county government umbrella.
Since Bixby is not an incorporated city or village, the area must follow procedure in asking the county for its help. If a district is approved, the entity would then be able to move forward in establishing grants and funding for a sewer system.
Residents who own property on the west side of Highway 218 were asked to sign the petition as well, but most declined.
“Early on, it became apparent the people on the west side have their own septic systems and the ones who don’t have plenty of room to install their own,” Wills said. “Part of the other reason was the practicality of not crossing 218.”
A public hearing on the matter was set for 7:15 p.m., Sept. 8, in which all citizens are invited to voice their opinion.
The county has only 30 days after the public hearing to approve of the district or not.
Wendy Reuer can be reached at 444-1565.
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