Let's focus our energy on how to fund the sewer

SEELEY LAKE - The preceding sewer boards have put together an amazing financial package to fund this project. It includes over $10 million of grant money, with approximately $6 million of loans in a package that will fund the building of the treatment plant and the collection system.

To construct the treatment plant and collection system plus hookups in Phase 1 (subdistrict 1) will cost each residential unit no more than $54.25 per month (Resolution #201725235). This is the least expensive, most feasible plan we have investigated or that has been discussed by this and previous boards. This is actually a very reasonable amount for a sewer system for a community.

However, none of the boards really foresaw the amount needed for operation and maintenance necessary to run the system. This cost is in addition to the cost of building the system. This amount is estimated to be about $70 per month, hopefully less. This is the challenge to us at this at this time.

I emphasize that this operation and maintenance cost is separate and distinct from building the treatment plant and collection system. No matter what type of sewer system we build, or some would like to build, the operation and maintenance cost will be present and may even exceed the estimated cost for this system. There are no grant mechanisms that I know of that will pay for operation and maintenance costs.

Yet there are three great possibilities: resort tax, tax increment financing and water quality district funding. A combination of these would exceed our need for sewer maintenance costs and perhaps even reduce our exorbitant water bills!

We cannot do nothing! Additional votes on whether we want a sewer will reveal nothing new. I am convinced that the great majority of the citizens want a sewer but many of them just cannot afford it.

To keep in compliance with the Constitution of the State of Montana and our obligation to all who want a clean environment, we are obligated to provide a sewer system and have a clear path to do so. Missoula County sanitarian Jim Erven made this abundantly clear at the latest sewer board meeting. What we now need is to build the sewer system and join arms (virtually) and work on ways to pay for the operation and maintenance of this system.

Let’s quit bickering about whether a sewer system is needed and work to getting the necessary help to operate it!