Fillmore Town Council hears input on sewage project, zoning

Friday, November 2, 2018

FILLMORE -- With extensive maintenance projects already waiting in the wings, the Fillmore Town Council will consider a move that would further align its sewage partnership with Greencastle.

Town officials heard input from Greencastle mayor Bill Dory Thursday evening about a plan to improve the lifespan of the sewage system that runs from the town to the city. As it was explained, a small tank would be installed in the town to circulate a chemical that would neutralize corrosive gas in the system.

Dory also provided that the tank would be best installed by being linked to a lift station on Westlane Road, which flows sewage from Fillmore to Greencastle.

As outlined, the city would purchase the chemical and have it installed into the tank at no expense to the town. As the plan is set out currently, the town would only contribute its electrical capacity at the lift station. The tank and its components would cost about $6,000 in total.

The council was in turn concerned with the tank’s proposed location, expressing that if a spill of the chemical were to occur, it could cause damage to a creek and surrounding areas.

Council members Bill Ashcraft and Robin Duncan both expressed alarm and questioned whether the tank was safe, as well as what the town could incur in the future.

“This will cost us down the road, and the town will have to foot the bill eventually,”Ashcraft said adamantly. “I don’t want the city coming in and putting in something that you can’t guarantee is safe.”

“Children play in the creek too,” Duncan added. “I see how this is beneficial, but I have to think about their safety more than anything.”

Dory said that he did not know the exact composition of the chemical, but said he would share that information with the council. With that in mind, Dory assured that he would not support introducing a substance that would compromise the system’s safety.

“We have spent millions of dollars on the sewer system, so we’re not going to put something in it that would screw it up,” he said.

He also acknowledged that the proposed location would need to be studied further to account for hidden lines, and that it was not the only placement option.

The tank could be installed near the lift station located next to Area 30 and Ascena, but Dory reasoned that it would be more efficient and economical for both communities if the chemical was introduced where the flow begins.

The discussion about the tank is in the preliminary stages, and both Dory and the council agreed that more considerations on both sides would need to be addressed.

The council also received input from both Dory and county attorney Jim Ensley about the town’s potential to have its own zoning requirements. According to council president C.J. Huller, part of the consideration is the town’s problem with vacant housing, as well as the relationship it has with county zoning officials.

Ensley provided that the town could follow Bainbridge’s zoning plan, where the town has its zoning enforced by its localized board of zoning appeals (BZA) and has building permits handled by the county. However, he acknowledged that the town could not commit as many resources.

Another avenue Ensley proposed was for the town to adopt an unsafe building ordinance, which would give officials the authority to address procedures such as demolition. Ensley also provided that the timeline to enact it would be shorter than configuring zoning districts.

Dory further suggested that the town should consider aligning with the county’s zoning to maintain customer service, and to also give the town an opportunity to be represented in zoning procedures.

The council as a whole assured that it would look at the different options in the near future.

Additionally, Town Marshal Darrel Bunten said that minimal suspicious activity had recently occurred in the town. However, he related that he was still receiving complaints regarding parking in front of Fillmore Elementary. The complaints have come from residents who cannot see to pull out of their driveways.

Bunten said that the sidewalk in front was owned by the school, but that a fire hydrant was also continuing to be blocked. Town attorney Jeff Boggess said that the town could have the right-of-way on the road and restrict parking, but that more information would be needed to assess the issue.

The council also expressed that anyone living in the town with an emergency or complaint should direct them to police and other safety personnel, and not to council members.

The next meeting of the Fillmore Town Council is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Fillmore Town Hall.

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