FRUITLAND/POCAHONTAS SEWER DISTRICT TO HOLD TOWN HALL MEETINGS

The members of the Cape County Common Sewer District plans to hold the first of two town hall meetings to inform the public about their organization's plan to become a legal entity.

The first meeting will be held Monday at 7 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Pocahontas.

Should Cape County voters vote for the sewer district the group plans to hire an engineer and apply for grants to begin the process of putting sewer lines in place in the Fruitland/Pocahontas area.

The group hopes that the common sewer district will become a model for the rest of the county as the individual needs grow in the populated areas of the county.

The second reason for the vote in November is to give the district status as a legal entity, the same as a city or village. The district will then be able to hire an engineer who can compute the cost after a survey of the district-wide needs.

The next step would be another vote, possibly in April to allow the district to borrow money, obtain grants and sell bonds to pay for the sewers. The pay-back of the money would be by user-fees only.

Chris Johnston, chairperson of the group, said that the sewer is needed in the Fruitland/Pocahontas area because of the tremendous growth in recent years.

"The Fruitland area is growing by leaps and bounds. Some of the septic tanks are failing and the ground out here isn't suitable for absorbing waste water," Johnston said.

Should the vote pass the sewer would be put in sections due to the large Fruitland/Pocahontas area involved.

"Our hopes are to hook on with Jackson. There is no firm agreement, but we are discussing the matter with the city of Jackson," Johnston said.

The second meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. at the VIP Building in Fruitland.