Easements Lead to Questions Over Sewer Main Route

SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District started working on meeting Rural Development’s conditions including attaining easements and writing district policies at their March 15 meeting. The sewer project can not be let out to bid before the conditions are met.

In other business, the board voted to send a letter to Powell County in regard to the proposed 61-lot subdivision and discussed the voter qualifications for the upcoming board election. The district also received one of two grants applied for to start the design of Phase 2’s collection system.

The board received a list of the places that require easements for construction of Phase 1 of the collection system and the sewer main from town to the treatment plant. Two spots along the highway, one section of Pine Drive, a site for the lift station behind the Seeley Lake Motor Lodge, private property at the east end of Cedar Lane, a common area of the Morrell Creek Subdivision and along the north edge of the high school property are all required.

Board Director Bob Skiles was frustrated that the plan still has the sewer main running due east of the intersection of Cedar Lane and Tamarack Drive. The route takes the sewer main down a steep hill and crosses Morrell Creek where there is a significant distance of swampy ground. The easement would require changing a “no build/no excavation” easement put in place to protect the riparian area.

The designed route is also the only place in Phase 1 where easements on private property are required with the exception of the lift station. The lift station will be located on the easement behind Motor Lodge, owned by Board President Mike Boltz. Boltz said he thinks there are already utility easements where the lift station is proposed.

In 2016, the district requested the engineers to consider running the sewer main up the Locust Lane to the high school and then on to the treatment plant. The engineers developed a comparison of the two routes with pros and cons and a cost estimate but it was unclear if the board ever officially discussed making the change. Skiles said he thought that the engineers and District Manager Greg Robertson had been instructed to change the route off the end of Cedar Lane and he was surprised to see it on the map for required easements.

Boltz and Director Mark Butcher agreed with Skiles that the alternate route should be considered. Robertson was not at the meeting to answer the question if changing the route was possible at this point in the project.

The easement required on Pine Drive between Rovero’s and Cedar Lane also generated discussion. The Seeley Lake Water District tried to acquire an easement at that location while upgrading the water mains. They had to route the water main several hundred feet up Cedar Lane to Elm Drive and then back down Oak Lane to get around the issue on Pine Drive.

The district has started working on policies they are required to have in place as they move forward. Board members were given a draft Conflict of Interest policy that will be discussed at next month’s board meeting.

In other business, the board voted to send a letter to Powell County about the proposed 61-lot subdivision. The subdivision would be about a half mile east of Seeley Lake’s sewer treatment plant. The district would like the developers and Powell County to consider using the sewer treatment plant to treat sewage from the new lots instead of installing individual septic systems.

Due to changes in the Montana law dealing with water and sewer elections, there is some confusion as to who is qualified to vote in the upcoming sewer board election. The change in the law gives corporations and business organizations that own land in the district the opportunity to register an agent to vote on their behalf. Trusts that own land within the district will also have to register an agent to vote.

The law also changed how non-resident landowners, where multiple people are listed as owners, can be represented. Properties with multiple landowners will have to designate an agent to vote for them unless they also reside within the district.

As before, resident landowners and renters that are registered voters within the district and sole owners of property within the district that are registered elsewhere will be able to vote.

Ultimately it is up to residents and landowners within the district to make sure they are registered if they wish to vote in the election. To check registration status, call the Missoula County Elections office at 406-258-4751.

Another issue that came up is that if all three current board members up for election attend the Seeley Lake Community Council’s candidate forum April 11 then it could be considered a board meeting. If three or more plan to attend, the district will notice it as a meeting but there will be no district business conducted at the event.

The district has received a $15,000 grant for designing Phase 2’s collection system from the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation through its renewable Resources Grant and Loan program. A separate grant for $15,000 from the Treasure State Endowment Program has also been applied for.

The next sewer board meeting is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Thursday, April 19 at the Missoula County Satellite Office located at 3360 Highway 83.