Sewer Board Discusses Forcemain Location and Easements

SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District continued to discuss the location of the sewer forcemain from town to the treatment plant and received new information on an easement on Pine Drive at their April 19 board meeting. A possible source of funding to help out low-income residents has been identified. The board also discussed the upcoming board election and approved their conflict-of-interest policy and next year’s budget.

At last month’s meeting, several board members questioned why the sewer forcemain from the lift station near the intersection of Cedar Lane and Highway 83 to the treatment plant near the airport was still shown to follow a straight line east on Cedar instead of going south and then heading east on Locust Lane and across Morrell Creek and past Seeley-Swan High School on Airport Road.

The board had requested the engineers to look into the alternate route in 2016. After receiving an initial estimate, the topic never came up again until the board received information on required easements in March. District Manager Greg Robertson explained that the direct east route would still be preferred but said that there were some issues with it.

The direct east route over the top of the hill on Cedar Lane would require the district to obtain three easements, one from a private landowner, a common area belonging to a homeowners’ association and one across the north end of the SSHS’s property. Robertson said crossing the private and high school land shouldn’t be a problem. He said he already talked to the school and he felt that if one private landowner declined, another property to the south would be available.

The easement crossing the common area presents a challenge for the district because there is currently a “no excavation” easement on it meant to protect Morrell Creek. Robertson hasn’t fully sorted out how to legally cross that property and said that it might preclude the district from taking that route altogether.

Board members argued that there are many advantages to taking the forcemain up Locust and Airport Road. Robertson agreed that it would eliminate the need for the three easements and would make adding the high school and other properties in the area onto the sewer easier. There would be an additional lift station but Robertson said the two lift stations could be smaller than the one larger lift station currently planned. Also, rather than boring several hundred feet under Morrell Creek and a swampy area, the sewer pipe could be suspended off the bridge.

Robertson said the biggest issue with changing the route is that the estimate is about $350,000 more. Unless the district wants to open up the notice and protest process again to ask the landowners for more money, another funding source would be required. Robertson said he is working to possibly obtain some more Water Resources Development Act funds.

Board Chair Mike Boltz questioned the estimates and suggested Robertson talk to some contractors to see what they thought would be the cost of each route. Robertson said he would continue to explore both routes and keep the options open.

The required easement on Pine Drive is located between where Pine Drive currently ends behind Rovero’s north to Cedar Lane. Several years ago when the water district wanted to cross that section with a water main, owners could not be found to grant the easement.

Robertson said the parcel that connects Pine to Cedar was created during a subdivision that was never officially recorded. A Warranty Deed from 1958 shows the parcel was last owned by NW Pacific Investments, a co-partnership consisting of M. C. Sayer and George F. Steinbrenner. According to Robertson, none of the neighboring parcels can lay claim to it. No taxes have ever been paid on it and the two partners of NW Pacific Investments have passed away.

The Missoula County Attorneys’ and Surveyors Offices recommend petitioning the parcel to be opened as a public road using a law that dates back to the 1800s. The process requires the petition to gather 10 signatures from landowners anywhere in the county. Robertson must visit the property with one of the county commissioners to develop a “viewers report.” A public hearing will be held to take comment and it is then presented to the county commissioners for a decision at their next commissioner meeting. If the petition were successful the parcel would be open for other utilities like water pipes to occupy it.

Robertson said there may be another funding source to help out low income residents. The county grants staff has been working on Community Development Block Grant funding for a low-income area near Missoula but they have indicated they will start going after funds for Seeley Lake. If funds were acquired they would be available for low-income households to pay off all or part of their debt for sewer construction. This would not impact the sewer’s current funding package from Rural Development.

Walt Hill, the only member of the public in attendance besides the Pathfinder, commented that he was concerned that individuals who have never been to a board meeting could run for board positions and asked if there would be any campaigning done for the incumbent board members. Board members are allowed to campaign individually but the board cannot take action as a board.

Boltz said a renter yelled him at because their landlord informed them that rent was going up $100/month due to the sewer. He thought that was unfair because renter lived on land occupied by several trailers all paying rent and the land would only be charged once. Board member Bob Skiles said he thought they were just trying to scare the renters into voting a certain way.

In other business, the board approved their 2019 fiscal year budget with only minor changes but the same bottom line as in past years. The $47,620 budget’s largest line item continues to be the $29,000 for district reserves.

The board also approved a conflict-of-interest policy that is required by RD in the funding package. Board members will have to disclose if they have any financial interests in the project and then recuse themselves from those discussions and decisions. The policy defines “financial interest” as being a person with direct or indirect, through business, investment or family, connection to an entity or individual having transactions or arrangements with the sewer district including future transactions that are being negotiated.

There is a special meeting May 3 scheduled for 5:15 p.m. at the Missoula County Satellite Office located at 3360 Highway 83. This meeting is to collect public comment on applying for Renewable Resource Grants and Loans and Treasure State Endowment Funds for Phase 2 of the collection system.

The next regular sewer board meeting is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Thursday, May 17 at the same location.