The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Frank Fraga, pastor of Trinity Christian Center. photo by Torri Barco

High sewer connection fees could force a local church to close its doors.

The pastor of Trinity Christian Center told the City of Sisters he would have to close down his church and leave town if city officials require the church to pay thousands of dollars in sewer connection and water fees.

Gary Frazee, public works director, estimated the church will have to pay about $18,000 in total water and sewer fees.

After evaluating his situation, as well as that of several other property owners who complained, the city has agreed to allow certain parties a two-year grace period for sewer connection. City ordinances require that properties within the city limits be hooked up to municipal services.

The city council informally consented in a workshop on Thursday to allow parties to defer their sewer payment for 24 months.

These parties were annexed into the city after the other residents and business owners connected to the sewer system. The parties include several private residents, as well as Barclay Contractors, Sisters Mobile Home Park, Sisters Community Church, and Trinity Christian Center.

Frank Fraga, pastor of Trinity Christian Center, told The Nugget the annexation took him by surprise and is costing him money he does not have.

"I did not want to be in the city," Fraga said. "I wanted to minister to the city, but not be forced out of it by all the city codes, ordinances and fees."

Janet Drake, a resident who regularly attends Trinity Christian Center, told The Nugget on Sunday, March 14, that she thinks the city is demanding too much.

"The church is very important to us and we feel like the city is wanting to close all the doors of the churches," Drake said. "This is a small town and we are small people. It is ridiculous to ask for that."

Councilor Lon Kellstrom acknowledged the heavy burden being placed on the church.

"We're essentially going to put them out of business, whether we do it now or in two years," Kellstrom said. "We're just postponing the inevitable, and I feel terrible about it. There is no easy answer. I thought we should give it some consideration or review."

Councilor Deb Kollodge said the deferment may be "prolonging the inevitable," but she thinks it is "worth giving them a two-year deferment."

Fraga said he already paid about $12,000 to the city last year, for 900 feet of a larger $52,000 sewer lateral which runs from Barclay Road to the middle of the property line of the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration.

He said that fee alone was about 25 percent of the church's $50,000 income for that year. He said he also had to pay many expenses for his wife, who underwent cancer treatments.

Fraga said he would not have been able to pay the $12,000 if he had not sold 2.5 acres of land on the east side of his property. More funds from that sale are still coming, but will not be available to him for three years, he said. That means he would not have it in time to make the two-year deferment.

He said those funds will exceed $35,000 and would be enough to pay off the sewer.

"But why would I want to throw away half of that money for a sewer we don't need?" Fraga asked.

When asked if a two-year deferment would help, Fraga told The Nugget, it would give the church a small glimmer of hope.

Still, he said, finances in the church would have to improve.

"I have no way of telling what the future will tell," Fraga said. "Last year alone, we had $4,000 in the hole. It won't take that long to eat up what is left. But maybe if things turn around..."

Fraga said Trinity Christian Center has existed for 22 years. He has pastored it for nine years. The church has grown to 41 members from 25 in those nine years.

But he said the church lost six families last year, which moved because they could not afford the cost of living.

Fraga said 95 percent of his congregation are social security recipients and many have low to moderate incomes.

Carolyn Burdick agreed.

"They're asking for a whole year's income from us," Burdick said. "Many of us are on fixed income, so it's not like we can dig deeper into our pockets. It's just not there."