It’s important for residents of Seeley to know the facts to make an appropriate decision for the upcoming sewer bond. There’s a lot of conflicting conversation from a group of residents who have taken it upon themselves to state their opinion as fact. This has caused misinformation to circulate.
When presented with a dilemma, the way to push through is choosing between multiple unfavorable situations. That’s exactly what we face with the sewer system.
The Sewer District’s goals are identifying financial opportunity for affordability, addressing water quality from septic influence and helping design a system that would improve groundwater nitrate levels. We are at a roadblock with the sewer system because the board has secured funds for roughly a $10.5 million grant and loans for $6.5 million, but its not 100% funded. After recent discussion with the DEQ, they’ve informed me the money has been designated for other projects and we will lose the grant unless we vote to move forward.
Paying back the remaining $6.5 million in loans will be a lot better than figuring out how to pay $17 million for a project with no grants.
I asked what happens if we lose the grant. I was referred to a letter drafted by the Missoula County Board of Health where it stated if the proposed project fails, individuals would be required to install advanced treatment systems on their properties or the county and DEQ would force installation of a sewer system. Both sound erroneous when we have $10.5 million to start up.
The board should be focusing on “other funding strategies that support an affordable sewer project,” by taking the grant money and working toward finding other strategies for loan repayment. Voting to stop this project because they have not found a source for 100% funding is unacceptable and a huge disservice to this community.
The DEQ discussed repercussions by providing examples of multiple Montana communities who refused to install an appropriate sewer system. The DEQ forced the installation of these systems anyway, now the communities have to pay for it. We shouldn’t put ourselves in that situation.
The facts of the matter are:
1. We are near losing funding for a significant portion of the sewer system.
2. The County and DEQ will be forcing treatment of groundwater regardless of the outcome of the bond vote.
3. Geological studies confirmed elevated nitrate levels that pose risk to the health of our community and its residents.
4. The proposed sewer system will improve levels more than 85%.
Again, we are faced with a dilemma. No one wants to be financially burdened, but we should take this financial opportunity and expect the board to uphold their responsibilities and seek strategies to help repay the loans so the financial burden does not fall only on Seeley’s residents.
I encourage everyone to contact the DEQ and the Health Department for a true discussion and educate themselves on what is really going on and what the FACTS truly are.
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