Neighbors seek way not to pay for others' sewer line

RAISING A STINK

By Bob Miller ~ Southeast Missourian

Bob and Julie Pastrick and their neighbor, Norval Friese, say they are upset about possibly having to pay for what they see as someone else's septic problem.

But depending on what the city council says, they may not have to.

Cape Girardeau city engineer Mark Lester said it is possible that the Pastricks and Friese will be able to remove themselves from a proposed sewer district as long as they donate easements for a sewer project that is desperately needed by their neighbors.

If they are not included in the district, they would not have to pay a square-foot assessment roughly estimated at $12,000 to $15,000.

The decision rests with the city council, which granted first-reading approval of the four-residence sewer district at its last meeting. It is scheduled for discussion at the next meeting, June 3.

The Pastricks and Friese said they found it appalling that the council could take a vote on a sewer district without notifying them that they would be included in a new district.

Heard a rumor

The Pastricks say they didn't know the issue was going to be brought up before the council until they heard a rumor and then checked the council agenda in this newspaper.

"That's not right," Julie said of the lack of notice. "People should be notified of that."

Normally, Lester said, residents are notified.

"The Pastricks probably should have been notified, and that's an oversight," Lester said. "It was just an all-around bad situation. It was kind of an emergency situation, and it kind of slipped through the cracks."

The city must notify all adjoining property owners who would be affected by any structure that would require a special-use permit, but it is unclear if those rules also apply to a sewer. City attorney Eric Cunningham, who interprets city ordinances, could not be reached Friday.

Upon passage of the sewer ordinance, the current sewer district would include four residences along Perryville Road that are currently using septic tanks.

Adjoining neighbors Ruth Ellen Holdman and Bob and Sharon McDowell said they have had septic tank problems for quite some time. One of Holdman's two septic tanks has totally failed, and she has not been able to use her basement bathroom for more than a year. At the McDowell residence, the septic tank is pumped frequently because the ground can't handle the volume.

Unsafe area

Holdman's leaking septic system caused the county health department to declare the area unsafe, and she was told to take immediate steps to resolve the situation.

Holdman was told by the city that it would be in her best interests to form a sewer district and have the work contracted out, she said. Holdman and McDowell hired an engineer to draw up plans, but those plans were met with opposition. The level of that opposition varies, depending on who is telling the story.

The Pastricks said they were not totally opposed to granting an easement for the contractor's work.

However, they had some questions about the plans -- mainly concerning how the sewer line would affect their current septic system -- and wanted some answers before they made a commitment, Bob Pastrick said. He said he didn't hear anything else about the matter until the morning before the council gave first-reading approval.

Neither Friese nor the Pastricks are having any trouble with their septic tanks. Friese and the Pastricks are both upset that they could be forced to pay for what they see as someone else's problem.

"We aren't against a sewer, just against subsidizing," said Bob Pastrick, who would stand to lose the most money considering his property is the largest of the four residences. The Pastricks said they could lose a large tree and many other plants.

Holdman said that she believes the sewer will add value to the respective homes.

Bob Pastrick agreed, but he said he doubts the value would equal the amount that he would have to pay for the project. Rough assessment estimates are $12,000 to $15,000, Bob Pastrick said, which could be paid over 10 years.

City ordinance states that residents within a distance of 200 feet of a sewer main must connect within a year, but according to Lester, there is a provision that residents can continue to use their septic system as long as it's working.

Under normal circumstances, a majority of homeowners in a proposed district would have to be in favor of a project before it could move forward. However, because there is a safety issue, the council has the authority to override that policy and approve the sewer district even though only two of four residences concur.

The sewer project could be completed as soon as the fall, Lester said.

bmiller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127