News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Construction crews are hooking up two or three residences a day in Sisters, trying to get as much done as possible before cold weather shuts down the project.
According to engineer technician Ron Cogswell, 55 homes have been hooked up south of Cascade Avenue and 74 are hooked up on the north side.
"It's just moving right along," he said.
However, the snap in the air on Thursday morning, October 18, was a hint that work may slow down.
"It was a little chilly," Cogswell said. "We had a pipe this morning that, when we picked it up, it broke."
Consistent freezing temperatures will mean an end to hook-ups, Cogswell said. Some residences won't get hooked up till spring.
"I don't look for them all to get hooked up over the winter," the engineer said.
Meanwhile, the city plans to open bids on November 15 for the fourth and final phase of the project -- the piping of the Sisters Industrial Park.
Finances are still very tight on the project. Because the city had to spend its money up front, before there were enough connections made to cover costs, the city may have to loan the project money as "bridge" funding.
"We might have to make some modest loans (from the general fund) to the sewer fund to get through that initial year of ramp up," Mayor Steve Wilson said. "We don't know what the exact dollar amount will be yet."
Project engineer Dick Nored is expected to make a complete financial report to the city council on November 15.
The city is also working on refining its ordinances to cover contingencies in the use of the sewer. One proposed change would clarify who is responsible for plugs in the lines that run from houses or businesses to the main lines.
The city does not want to be on the hook for unplugging a lateral if someone flushes a toy down the toilet, for example. A proposed ordinance change would make property owners responsible for their laterals from their house or business to the main line.
Another change would clarify that each tax lot must have its own sewer service, which could become increasingly important as property owners subdivide their lots.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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