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Board discusses using fee reserve to fund small loans for septic installation; asks staff and economic development to help craft program
Summary
Ravalli County Board of Health discussed creating a small revolving loan or grant program to help low‑income property owners pay for septic system installation, and asked staff to draft application criteria and consult county economic development.
Board members on June 11 discussed whether roughly $80,000 in fee reserves should be used to help low‑income homeowners pay for wastewater system installations. The idea discussed was a revolving loan program with lien/repayment terms to fund full installations (not merely permit fees) for people who cannot otherwise obtain financing.
John (environmental health staff) described a candidate household with long‑running on‑site sewage problems who reported Social Security income and could pay back only modest monthly amounts. Board members noted previous county revolving loan programs (economic development loan funds) and asked staff to coordinate with the county’s Economic Development Authority (EDA) to design manageable eligibility criteria and avoid an overly burdensome application process. Board members discussed possible safeguards: income verification, liens recorded against the property, payment terms (multi‑year), and limiting program size or number of awards per fiscal year to control funds.
No funding allocation or formal program was adopted. The board directed staff to draft an application, propose underwriting criteria and repayment mechanisms, and consult with the county economic development office for program administration options to bring back at a future meeting.
