GORDONVILLE SEEKS SEWERS, CONNECTION TO OTHER SYSTEM

GORDONVILLE -- The town board is looking at bringing sewers to Gordonville and connecting them to the sewer system in either Cape Girardeau or Jackson.

That way, Gordonville wouldn't have to set up a sewage lagoon. Everything from sewer billing to sewer maintenance might be handled by the public works department in Cape Girardeau or Jackson under a contractual arrangement, said Brad Burgess, who heads the town board.

Such an arrangement would also eliminate the need for Gordonville to hire people to handle billing and sewer maintenance, he said.

Jackson City Administrator Steve Wilson suggested his city and Gordonville might consider building a new treatment plant. The plant could serve Gordonville and accommodate Jackson's future growth, he said.

"We know that our growth to the south will probably be the next big growth area," said Wilson.

Gordonville's town board has hired Waters and Associates, a Sikeston engineering firm, to do a sewer feasibility study. Burgess and Waters engineer Richard Cochran met with public works officials in Cape Girardeau and Jackson in two separate meetings last week to discuss the idea.

Cochran said the town board wants to know what Cape Girardeau and Jackson would charge for treating Gordonville's sewage, maintaining the town's sewer system and handling the billing.

"We are trying to cover all the bases on how we are going to handle the sewage, and whether to build our own treatment plant or lagoon, or tie in with Jackson or Cape," Burgess said. "We are trying to find the most cost effective way for Gordonville residents to get sewers."

The Cape Girardeau County town has a population of about 350 and sits at the junction of Highway 25 and Route Z.

Cochran said Cape Girardeau's sewer system comes to within three to four miles of Gordonville. Jackson's is about five miles away.

Gordonville is served by a water district, but has no sewer system of its own. Homes and businesses have their own septic tanks.

Installing a sewer system could cost a million dollars, Cochran said. If the town puts in its own treatment plant, the cost could reach an estimated $1.4 million.

Funding would come from a bond issue. Burgess said the town board hopes to put a bond issue before the voters in November.

The revenue bonds would be sold through the Department of Natural Resources' revolving loan fund program, which would allow Gordonville to obtain a low interest rate and lower bond payments, Cochran said.

The bonds would be retired with revenue from the monthly sewer charges, which could be in the range of $30 to $35 a month, Cochran said.

Burgess said Gordonville is unlikely to secure government grants to put in a sewer system because the median income in the village is above the allowable limit.

Cochran said town officials need to finalize sewer plans this summer if they want to get the bond issue on the November ballot.

Burgess said some residents will oppose the idea. But a majority of residents, who responded to a survey last year, support sewers, he said.

Burgess opposes charging residents sewer hookup fees on the front end. Rather than charge a $1,000 fee, Burgess said he would like to see the expense included in the bond issue and paid off through the monthly sewer charges.

The proposed sewer system initially would serve the nearly 180 homes and businesses in Gordonville. It would be designed with enough capacity to handle about 220 customers, allowing for future growth, Cochran said.

Cape Girardeau Public Works Director Doug Leslie said his office is looking at the sewer proposal and will respond, probably within the next 30 days.

"I can't say we have a position on it at this point," he said. Any agreement would require City Council approval.