Project could cost $50,000 (12/06/06)

GENEVA - A project on Geneva's northwest side to correct a stormwater drainage problem could cost the town as much as $50,000, council members learned here Tuesday night.

Town manager Steve Hampshire told council members a storm sewer north of Spring Street and east of Winchester Road is still connected to the sanitary sewer and Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has mandated the tile be disconnected to change the flow to the Winchester Road drainage system.

"We need to get that taken care of," Hampshire said. "We need to get rid of a big volume of water out there."

The council instructed him to get specs for the construction and advertise the project for bids.

"Write up some specs, advertise and see what you get," council member Mike Schwartz told him.

Hampshire indicated that costs could be reduced by using town employees to do some of the work.

Because of that project, though, a request from wastewater superintendent Jason Wilke to purchase a monitoring system for the town's wastewater lift stations was put on hold until after the first of the year.

That purchase, estimated at about $45,000, would deplete the wastewater treatment fund, town clerk-treasurer Doug Milligan cautioned.

"We could spend the money," he said, "but it's going to make us tight, unless you want to consider bonding. My counsel is do what we need to do, but be conservative."

"Don't get me wrong, I want to do (monitoring at the wastewaster plan)," council president, Lew Wingler said, "but the last thing we want to do is deplete the funds."

Council agreed to look at the purchase again in early 2007.

Also Tuesday night, council members heard an update from Adams County realtor Ed Herman about plans for developing the Dreamland addition north of Geneva.

"We're still interested," he said about hooking the addition into Geneva's wastewater treatment plant. "What do we do next? We'd like to go forward on this."

But Schwartz said with all new projects there are always questions.

"We'd like to look at the financial prospects," he said.

Schwartz expressed concern about the state law that says residences within 300 feet of a sewer line must hook into it.

"I'm sure we'll get some controversy" on that he said. "They have a sewer (septic) system and now they're being mandated" to hook into the new system.

"Don't misread me," Schwartz told Herman, "but with every good thing there's lots of questions."

"We've willing to look at it," Herman said. "We're open to suggestions."

Herman was instructed to meet with Hampshire and Wilkie to further discuss his plans.

The proposed development includes construction of 30 dwellings as well as providing space for four retail businesses. Herman approached the council a few months ago about constructing a sewer line that would hook into the town's wastewater treatment plant.

In other business the council signed an agreement with Adams County Solid Waste District for 2007. Although trash collected in Geneva is taken to the Jay County Landfill, the council signed the agreement to "keep Adams County as a back up."

Milligan explained the council pays nothing to maintain the contract and is only charged on a per-ton basis when trash is taken to a transfer station.

Council also set a year-end meeting for Friday, Dec. 29, at 3:30 p.m. at the town hall.[[In-content Ad]]