July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
County attorney balks at IDEM pressure (3/21/05)
Burkett says IDEM should not have cited county in septic system failure in addition west of Portland
By By Mike Sndyer-
More pressure from a state agency regarding failing septic systems in homes southwest of Portland may result in Jay County Commissioners pushing back.
Brad Burkett, attorney for Jay County Commissioners, said this morning that he does not believe the county is in any way liable for septic system discharges from the homes that contaminated the Salamonie River late last summer.
In October, the county was cited by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for an incident that apparently emanated in the Foxfire addition along county road 125 South, south of Jay County High School.
In February, the county was threatened with a $25,000 per day fine if action is not taken to solve the problem.
Commissioners’ president Milo Miller Jr. showed fellow commissioners Gary Theurer and Faron Parr a letter he recently received from IDEM.
The letter said that IDEM was requesting a meeting with Miller and Dave Houck, environmentalist/administrator for the Jay County Health Department.
Burkett contacted Dave Knox, an IDEM employee, by phone this morning.
“What’s the basis for ... Jay County being responsible for these people’s sewage going into the river?” Burkett asked Knox. “Why isn’t it the private landowner’s responsibility?”
Burkett said Knox invited Burkett and Miller to a meeting at IDEM headquarters in Indianapolis. Burkett countered that he believed IDEM representatives should come to Jay County.
An engineer has been hired using private funds to find a solution to the problem, which could impact homes outside of the Foxfire addition.
Attorney Bill Hinkle, who lives in Foxfire, said in February that residents acknowledge the problem and were working toward a solution.
Although the direct source of E. coli contamination in the Salamonie River were homes in Foxfire, Houck said in October that the large majority of homes along Ind. 67 to the south and east of Foxfire also have inadequate septic systems.
A spokesperson from IDEM said in October that Jay County was cited in this incident because it has oversight over the county health department.
Possible solutions to the problem could include hooking up homes in the area to the Portland sewage system, and/or forming a sanitary sewer district.
The closest access to city sewer lines is at Sheffer Acres West and Jay County High School. Because of topography and distance, the sewer line extension will most likely have to be pressurized.
Also this morning, the commissioners asked Ralph Frazee, director of Jay County Emergency Management Agency, whether a weather warning siren on a tower at the former Portland Fire Station location was working.
Frazee said the siren is disconnected.
The commissioners told Frazee to ask city officials if they would like the alert siren moved to the courthouse.[[In-content Ad]]
Brad Burkett, attorney for Jay County Commissioners, said this morning that he does not believe the county is in any way liable for septic system discharges from the homes that contaminated the Salamonie River late last summer.
In October, the county was cited by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for an incident that apparently emanated in the Foxfire addition along county road 125 South, south of Jay County High School.
In February, the county was threatened with a $25,000 per day fine if action is not taken to solve the problem.
Commissioners’ president Milo Miller Jr. showed fellow commissioners Gary Theurer and Faron Parr a letter he recently received from IDEM.
The letter said that IDEM was requesting a meeting with Miller and Dave Houck, environmentalist/administrator for the Jay County Health Department.
Burkett contacted Dave Knox, an IDEM employee, by phone this morning.
“What’s the basis for ... Jay County being responsible for these people’s sewage going into the river?” Burkett asked Knox. “Why isn’t it the private landowner’s responsibility?”
Burkett said Knox invited Burkett and Miller to a meeting at IDEM headquarters in Indianapolis. Burkett countered that he believed IDEM representatives should come to Jay County.
An engineer has been hired using private funds to find a solution to the problem, which could impact homes outside of the Foxfire addition.
Attorney Bill Hinkle, who lives in Foxfire, said in February that residents acknowledge the problem and were working toward a solution.
Although the direct source of E. coli contamination in the Salamonie River were homes in Foxfire, Houck said in October that the large majority of homes along Ind. 67 to the south and east of Foxfire also have inadequate septic systems.
A spokesperson from IDEM said in October that Jay County was cited in this incident because it has oversight over the county health department.
Possible solutions to the problem could include hooking up homes in the area to the Portland sewage system, and/or forming a sanitary sewer district.
The closest access to city sewer lines is at Sheffer Acres West and Jay County High School. Because of topography and distance, the sewer line extension will most likely have to be pressurized.
Also this morning, the commissioners asked Ralph Frazee, director of Jay County Emergency Management Agency, whether a weather warning siren on a tower at the former Portland Fire Station location was working.
Frazee said the siren is disconnected.
The commissioners told Frazee to ask city officials if they would like the alert siren moved to the courthouse.[[In-content Ad]]
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