Owner of Fir Street property urges annexation; council pauses for legal review of waiver

City of St. Helens councilors heard extensive testimony June 4 on a long-pending annexation petition for a parcel identified in staff materials as 35262 Fir Street, filed by Greg and Amanda McFerrin.

The McFerrins told the council they want the property annexed to avoid higher county water and sewer rates. Amanda McFerrin said the household has paid about $16,443 more in water and sewer charges over the past 20–23 years because the parcel remained outside city limits and on a private step sewer system. "It would be a great thing to have that done and not be paying, you know, $400 or $500 in the summer months for my water and sewer bill because they're doubled," Amanda McFerrin said.

The hearing focused on the legal effect of an elector's "one-year" waiver attached to the petition, and on the technical details of the site's sewer connection. Jacob (staff member) explained the parcel was served by a step system (a septic-tank-effluent pump system) and that earlier paperwork showed the property had a five-year sewer-use…