Turkey Creek Sewer Hears From Local Restaurant
CROMWELL — After celebrating with an early Christmas dinner, the Turkey Creek Regional Sewer District board met Monday evening, Dec. 18, at the district office in Cromwell.
After approving the previous month’s minutes and claims, the board introduced four members of the public, local business owners Robert Vandal, Tammy Vandal, Jake Harlan and Tina Harlan. The four guests are owners of local shared businesses, MugShots and Man Cave Brewery located on SR 13.
Robert spoke on behalf of the group, bringing several issues to the attention of the board including an outdated rate ordinance, an incorrect seating count and the increasing benefits to switching to septic.
The district and business owners agreed first communication in regards to the new building and sewer system hookup happened in April 2016. Robert and the others were estimating costs based on a rate ordinance he claims was provided through his attorney from the district. However, the copy he printed off and provided from email communication was an ordinance changed in 2015. The rates outlined in the older rate ordinance offer a cheaper rate than calculated by the newer, which uses seating count to calculate equivalent EDUs.
Attorney for the district, Andrew Grossnickle, had counted the available seating when MugShots opened for service and presented 96 seats as the official count to the board. The Vandals and Harlans note the seating count is just 84, a figure the board intends to reexamine. This new rate means the monthly sewer bill for just half the business (the brewery portion is not yet open) is just shy of $300 per month, a figure Robert can’t and possibly won’t swallow.
The business is locked into a five-year contract with the district, but Robert noted once both sides of the business are open, a $600 sewer bill makes septic seem more feasible. He added the anticipated $15,000 start-up costs for joining the sewer project quickly turned to $30,000 and a rate equivalent to 10 houses hardly seems fair. “It’s very nice to the community,” said board president Rex Heil, “You did an excellent job.” While the board expressed appreciation in working with the owners and an admiration for the business and the new facilities, members felt it boiled down to sticking to a rate the county has now set in place. “At the very least, we’d like an accurate seat count,” added Robert in closing.
In other business, the board approved pay increases for the 2018 year for district employees as well as an official change in insurance companies. An insurance representative, Stan Rice, attended the meeting to explain the benefits of the new plan. With a move from Arch Insurance to Allied Public Risks, the board will be saving a little under $3,000/year with increased coverage. TCRSD will also be adding cyber security through a separate company.
The board continues to battle with dollars and figures when dealing with the town of Syracuse. Brian Houghton, engineer with Umbaugh and Associates, provided updates on the sewer reversal project that would take most of the flow away from Syracuse and bring it back to TCRSD. District superintendent Timothy Woodward has heard from additional property owners who have expressed interest in joining, as well, making the project one step closer to reality.
The board will meet again the third Monday of January, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m.