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Sewer-plant question headed to voters

Council exploring new site
Tim Wolf urges the Durango City Council to move the sewage-treatment plant on Tuesday. He was one of the many residents to address councilors.

Voters will be asked to approve spending $68 million on a new sewer-plant project in November, and the city is going to continue to explore whether to move or remodel the plant.

The Durango City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the ballot language for a project. The question had to be approved before Friday to be placed on the ballot this year and keep the timeline for sewer construction on track. The sewer-plant upgrades are necessary to meet more stringent state regulations.

The councilors also announced they would ask consultants to explore moving the plant across from Mercury Payment Systems after an extended executive session on the topic.

It was unknown how long a analysis of the site might take, City Manager Ron LeBlanc said. But the councilors intend to decide on a project before the election.

“Before I vote in November, I’ll know where that plant is going to be,” Councilor Sweetie Marbury said.

City staff had looked at the sites across from the Mercury Payment Systems before, but the council was opting to revisit the location because it has been raised by members of the public.

On Tuesday, councilors had been considering a resolution to approve a remodel of the current plant and residents made their plea to the council to take this opportunity to move the plant. Others urged councilors to make a decision that would keep costs down.

Chris Wilbur, former chairman of the Utilities Commission, challenged the councilors on several key arguments.

He told the council a decision on the plant is not an emergency, and the city has until 2023 to meet state regulations on nutrients allowed for release into waterways.

Previously, City Manager Ron LeBlanc has said that the city’s permit will expire in 2018, and the state health department will evaluate the city’s progress at that time. The city received an extension until 2023 as long as it adheres to a schedule of improvements.

Wilbur also argued the city’s search for a 10-acre parcel is excessive, especially because the current plant is on fewer than 10 acres.

He called on the city to look more seriously at Cundiff Park as a viable option.

The councilors countered Cundiff was not a good option because the city would have to have an election to convert the park land to another use, and the neighbors at Rivergate Lofts would be facing the new plant.

Councilor Dean Brookie cut Wilbur off because he had reached his time limit. And Brookie said many of the questions he was raising had been answered to the satisfaction of the council.

Others called on councilors to move the plant because of the value it could add to the Durango Whitewater Park.

“It’s worth the trouble; it’s worth the expense,” said Mike Freeburn of Durango.

Others asked councilors to be conscious of the burden higher sewer fees could place on those who have fixed incomes, especially in light of the other major projects the city is planning.

Residents could be asked to pay for a new Durango-La Plata County Airport terminal and county road and bridge improvements through a property-tax increase.

“We have people that are not making an awful lot of money in this community,” said resident Mike Todt.

Michelle Reott encouraged the councilors not to rush a decision.

“Please don’t tie our community’s hands on this tonight,” she said.

mshinn@durangoherald.com



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