Council puts sewer project on hold

A controversial sewer project and reimbursement plan for Buck Run Phase III residents is on hold for now.

The Sisters City Council decided to delay action on the plan after considerable debate at its Thursday, October 2, meeting.

The city had proposed charging five Maple Street residents an estimated $80,000 to install a sewer main on their street. The residences were not included in the original sewer plan for the City of Sisters.

Council members agreed to give the property owners an extended chance to affirm their support of a new proposal, which would slice the five property owners' cost in half and impose the $40,000 difference on the city and the developer of the nearby Coyote Springs subdivision.

In August, residents along Maple Street in the Buck Run III subdivision received a letter from the city informing each property owner (one couple owns two lots) that the city might charge them $13,000 per lot to replace their existing septic systems with 426 linear feet of an eight-inch sewer on the east side of Maple Street, between Tyee Drive and Coyote Springs Drive.

The new plan would allow the second phase of the Coyote Springs subdivision to proceed. The city has the right to require residents to reimburse it for implementing public improvements in an area considered underdeveloped, according to city reports.

Council members moved to have the item placed on their next regular meeting agenda and vote on one of the two proposals at that time.

Council members said they are eager to begin a project which has been on the drawing board for years and they reluctantly agreed to wait for all parties to confirm solid support of the new proposal.

Attorney Michael Peterkin, who represents the Maple Street residents, worked with the city and the Coyote Springs developer to create the new proposal, city staff said.

One property owner and one Maple Street representative attended the meeting and affirmed support of the proposal, saying it is a "good faith offering" from the residents.

City staff called the new proposal "soft" in light of Peterkin's presentation at a September 11 public hearing, where he suggested the council charge the residents a $3,000-per-lot Systems Development Charge and give them the option of hooking up to the new sewer system.

At that time, Peterkin argued the city did not inform the residents they would have to spend that kind of money when they purchased their lots.

The new proposal requires the Coyote Springs developer to pay a flat fee of $15,000 and the city to pay 33.3 percent of the total project cost, which is estimated to be about $26,814.

The remaining $40,000 would be divided among the lots so that three lots would be charged $4,400 and three would be charged $8,400. According to city administrator Eileen Stein, Buck Run developer Mylon Buck and property owner George Tofello agreed to pay the higher amount in order to help resolve the situation.

Councilman Lon Kellstrom did not want to make a quick decision in favor of the new proposal because he said it takes too much money from taxpayers. If the council passes the new proposal, the city might have to pay another $25,000 to fund the same sewer improvement project in a neighboring community on Tyler Avenue.

"My thought is that we shouldn't take taxpayer money to pay for a sewer for people who have the money to do it," Kellstrom said. "It just goes against my grain to take money from my neighbor to make this happen.

"I hate to spend $50,000 to make the problem go away," Kellstrom said.

Mayor David Elliott pointed out that either decision could cost taxpayers money.

"On the other hand, if we go with the higher amount (for the property owners), we would have to defend it," Elliott said.

"Then we would have to use taxpayer money in a different way to defend an opinion."

The city council plans to vote on one of the two proposals during the regular meeting this Thursday, October 8, 7 p.m. at Sisters City Hall.