Owners face $10,000 sewer fee (Citrus County)
Owners face $10,000 sewer fee By Terry Witt
Citrus County Commissioner Gary Bartell will tell Chassahowitzka residents Wednesday night the county may have to impose a $10,000 property assessment on every home to fund a planned central water and sewer system.
That’s the bad news.
But he also will tell them time is running out to start construction on the project, and that state and federal lawmakers are attempting to secure additional grant funds to lower the assessment by the time it has to be imposed in a about a year.
“Right now, my general feeling is if we’ll go with the $10,000 and we’ll push hard to get federal and state grants, that will help us buy down the cost to residents,” Bartell said.
That’s as good as the news will get.Bartell plans to meet with residents at the Chassahowitzka Fire Department at 7 p.m. Wednesday to explain the status of the water and sewer project. He has kept them advised through town meetings since the project was first proposed.
The county was awarded about $3.8 million in grants for the sewer portion of the project. It has secured a $600,000 grant and $3.1 million loan for the water portion. But the sole bidder on the project, Danella Inc., has proposed doing the work for about $11.1 million.
County officials negotiated the total bid down to about $10.2 million, but the bid remains higher than the available revenue. More money would have to be borrowed.That’s why the proposed assessment is high.The sewer grants were awarded in the years 2000, 2001 and 2002, and the money has to be spent soon or returned to the state, according to Bartell. He said construction should be under way by the end of this year.
Bartell has pushed for a central water and sewer system since learning the results of a University of South Florida study, now several years old, that found septic tanks are causing coliform bacteria pollution in the Chassahowitzka River. The study found indicators in wells that coliform bacteria pollution may be a problem in drinking water.“I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of opposition to the high price, but what are the options?” Bartell said. “We need to either fish or cut bait as far as I’m concerned.”State Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, has promised to introduce legislation in the spring session to fund the remainder of the project, but is making no promises. He said the Legislature already has provided the county with about $3 million in grants, and the county is not offering to match the grant money it is requesting.
But Fasano, whose district includes Citrus County west of U.S. 19, said he will submit the legislation, recognizing that he also will get requests for water quality funding from the other counties he represents — Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties.“If I get $4 million for Chassahowitzka, I won’t get anything for the other counties,” Fasano said. “I’ll put in for the full amount and try to get as much as I can for the county.”Bartell said he reminded Fasano the Chassahowitzka River is a state water body, and cleaning up polluted state waters should be the responsibility of the Legislature.
The river empties into the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge. Fasano said he understands those facts, and believes it will help him argue for a grant from the Legislature.
AVAILABLE FUNDING FOR CHASSAHOWITZKA PROJECT State legislative funding for sewer portion — $2,750,000; Southwest Florida Water Management District funding for sewer portion — $1 million; Community Development Block Grant sewer grant funding — $90,000.n Community Development Block Grant for water — $600,000; state revolving fund loan for water — $3,140,000.n Bid with Danella Inc. has been negotiated down from the original $11.1 million to about $10.2 million.County Commissioner Gary Bartell will meet with Chassahowitzka residents at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Chassahowitzka Fire Department. He has invited local legislators and officials from the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Florida Department of Environmental Protection to attend.
Citrus County Commissioner Gary Bartell will tell Chassahowitzka residents Wednesday night the county may have to impose a $10,000 property assessment on every home to fund a planned central water and sewer system.
That’s the bad news.
But he also will tell them time is running out to start construction on the project, and that state and federal lawmakers are attempting to secure additional grant funds to lower the assessment by the time it has to be imposed in a about a year.
“Right now, my general feeling is if we’ll go with the $10,000 and we’ll push hard to get federal and state grants, that will help us buy down the cost to residents,” Bartell said.
That’s as good as the news will get.Bartell plans to meet with residents at the Chassahowitzka Fire Department at 7 p.m. Wednesday to explain the status of the water and sewer project. He has kept them advised through town meetings since the project was first proposed.
The county was awarded about $3.8 million in grants for the sewer portion of the project. It has secured a $600,000 grant and $3.1 million loan for the water portion. But the sole bidder on the project, Danella Inc., has proposed doing the work for about $11.1 million.
County officials negotiated the total bid down to about $10.2 million, but the bid remains higher than the available revenue. More money would have to be borrowed.That’s why the proposed assessment is high.The sewer grants were awarded in the years 2000, 2001 and 2002, and the money has to be spent soon or returned to the state, according to Bartell. He said construction should be under way by the end of this year.
Bartell has pushed for a central water and sewer system since learning the results of a University of South Florida study, now several years old, that found septic tanks are causing coliform bacteria pollution in the Chassahowitzka River. The study found indicators in wells that coliform bacteria pollution may be a problem in drinking water.“I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of opposition to the high price, but what are the options?” Bartell said. “We need to either fish or cut bait as far as I’m concerned.”State Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, has promised to introduce legislation in the spring session to fund the remainder of the project, but is making no promises. He said the Legislature already has provided the county with about $3 million in grants, and the county is not offering to match the grant money it is requesting.
But Fasano, whose district includes Citrus County west of U.S. 19, said he will submit the legislation, recognizing that he also will get requests for water quality funding from the other counties he represents — Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties.“If I get $4 million for Chassahowitzka, I won’t get anything for the other counties,” Fasano said. “I’ll put in for the full amount and try to get as much as I can for the county.”Bartell said he reminded Fasano the Chassahowitzka River is a state water body, and cleaning up polluted state waters should be the responsibility of the Legislature.
The river empties into the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge. Fasano said he understands those facts, and believes it will help him argue for a grant from the Legislature.
AVAILABLE FUNDING FOR CHASSAHOWITZKA PROJECT State legislative funding for sewer portion — $2,750,000; Southwest Florida Water Management District funding for sewer portion — $1 million; Community Development Block Grant sewer grant funding — $90,000.n Community Development Block Grant for water — $600,000; state revolving fund loan for water — $3,140,000.n Bid with Danella Inc. has been negotiated down from the original $11.1 million to about $10.2 million.County Commissioner Gary Bartell will meet with Chassahowitzka residents at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Chassahowitzka Fire Department. He has invited local legislators and officials from the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Florida Department of Environmental Protection to attend.
posted by Editor Facts & Myths @ 8:54 AM
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