Ortonville- The village council will consider ballot language for the contentious sewer question at their next meeting, set for 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 26, at the township offices, 395 Mill St.
A vote on the issue, once ballot language is approved by both the council and the county, will likely take place Nov. 3.
The village’s bonding attorney, Paul Wyzgoski, is drafting the language, which Village Manager John Lyons said will address the village’s intent to sell bonds through Oakland County in order to finance the $20 million wastewater treatment system project.
‘The council will have a vote to approve the ballot language or not at the May 26 meeting and then it will go to the county for approval for the Nov. 3 ballot,? said Lyons.
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.
A few hundred residents attended a March 23 village council meeting and dozens expressed their disapproval of the proposed wastewater treatment system, demanding a vote or that the council drop the matter entirely.
The project would put a special assessment of about $25,550 on each residence, and 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.
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.