Ortonville- Village residents will have the opportunity to vote in a special election to determine the fate of a proposed sewer system.
A few hundred residents, the majority of whom appeared to be sharply opposed to a $20 million wastewater treatment project, attended a March 23 village council meeting.
Almost two dozen people implored the council to give them a vote regarding sewers or drop entirely the project that would put a special assessment of about $25,550 on each residence, and that has been proposed to be paid for with a 40-year Rural Development Loan. With interest, the assessment alone could cost homeowners nearly $50,000 over the course of the loan. Additionally, proposed annual maintenance fees are currently estimated to be about $600 and would increase with inflation.
‘I love my community,? said Kathleen Johnson, who identified herself as a resident for 42 years and retiree on a fixed income. ‘Many of us stand to lose our homes with the extra cost. If it comes to keeping our homes or adding a new doughnut shop, we want to keep our homes.?
Economic development, environmental health, and the high cost of engineered septic fields to replace failing ones are the most-often cited reasons for bringing sewers to the village. The issue has been debated for decades, while costs for a potential wastewater treatment system rise. Also increasing are the costs for engineered septic fields, often needed when existing septic fields fail on small village lots.
Since 2008, 38 septic systems have failed in the village, requiring replacement with engineered fields.
‘We’re being proactive so people aren’t forced out with having to pay for an engineered field,? said Wills when asked by a resident why the council was pursuing sewers.
He noted that engineered fields can cost $20,000 and would have to be paid up front by the homeowner unlike the sewer loan.
But some village residents have already paid for engineered fields, which would have to be scrapped.
Carlyn Maddox is one of them. She moved from Illinois to her dream home in the village just a few years ago, after having to take an early retirement due to health issues. Rolled into the cost of her home was a new engineered septic field, which would have to be trashed if sewers came here, she noted at the meeting.
‘We will put our house on the market,? she said. ‘We can’t afford to stay here, you are taking our dream from us if you bring sewers here.?
Ruthmary Achten, who also has an engineered field, said she would also move, if she could find someone to take on the debt of a sewer system.
Besides the cost, the proposal raised other concerns, including some by non-village residents like Cynthia Kimmel, whose property on County Line Road is flooded by the Kearsley Creek during the spring thaw. The proposed wastewater treatment system would discharge into the creek, but officials say the system will be designed to not adversely affect creek levels. Kimmel said she has contacted Department of Environmental Quality representatives, who have told her they use an ultraviolet remedy instead of chlorination to treat sewage, but that was of no comfort to her.
‘They do the same to the Detroit and Flint rivers, but I would never eat the fish out of those rivers,? she said, to resounding cheers and applause.
Contamination of the creek, however, is one of the primary stated reasons for the need to bring sewers here.
‘A lot of people are saying they can’t afford sewers or their field is fine, but I have to think about everyone,? said village resident and former councilmember Larry Hayden. ‘I was embarrassed and mortified to have yellow police tape around the creek (last summer during CreekFest) because of e.coli… I hear fixed income, but if your septic fails, you don’t get 40 years, you have to replace it today.?
Wills also read letters supporting sewers from Brenda Heffernan, who owns Mabelena’s Quilt Shop in the village, as well as from David and Sherry Regiani, who recently moved their longtime dental practice from the village due to lack of sewers.
But they, Hayden and a few others who spoke in favor of sewers were the clear minority, as speaker after speaker asked for the issue to be dropped, put to a vote, or even to have residents on Lake Louise and Bald Eagle Lake brought in to help share the cost.
‘The people have spoken, we don’t want sewers,? said Pam Schoemer. ‘This is a burden. We are demanding this needs to go to a vote… For you to say I need to pay $48,000 for sewers is ridiculous. I’d rather take a trip around the world.?
She and other village residents will soon be able to take a trip to the polls.
Councilmember Dan Eschmann read from a prepared statement near the end of the meeting, noting the sale of bonds to finance sewers would be a large financial burden and questioning whether residents could take on a debt of such magnitude. He then made a motion to move forward with putting the sale of bonds to a vote of the residents at the earliest possible time. The motion was supported by Courtney McClerren and passed by a 6-1 vote. Councilmember Liz Waters voted no.
‘I voted no because we have a lack of knowledge, both the citizens and the council, to make an informed vote,? she said. ‘We haven’t done our due diligence.?
In December, the village council passed a resolution requesting assistance from the county in preparation of a contract to provide for acquisition, construction, and financing of sewage disposal system improvements to serve village residents. While the village would request a Rural Development Loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Oakland County would issue the bonds, as they have a better bond rating than the village and can obtain a lower interest rate.
Part of the issue residents have had is the lack of concrete numbers for the project, which officials including Water Resources Commission Chief Deputy Phil Sanzica have said will not be known until final design is completed.
In the ballot language, still to be determined, the village will ask voters for permission to sell bonds. Lyons is hoping a special election can be held in August.