Boaz schedules June 24 special meeting to discuss water-quality trading and projected sewer-bill increase

The Village of Boaz Board of Trustees scheduled a special meeting for 6 p.m. on June 24 so Carson Hackett of Davy Engineering can answer questions about proposed water-quality trading projects and a projected increase in sewer bills. Clerk/Treasurer Kaela Townsend said she is working with Hackett to assemble the financial figures needed for the projection.

Why it matters: the trustee-staff discussion and the engineer briefing are aimed at explaining how water-quality trading projects could affect sewer rates for customers and what upgrades or repairs the Sewer Utility will need. The board signaled the topic requires a dedicated session to share technical details with residents.

Details: The board recorded the Sewer Utility’s current repair inventory: one new-style pump on hand, one rebuilt pump, four pumps at ASI for repair, two new alarm boxes and two replacement cables that currently have incorrect ends. Townsend also presented a grinder-pump information sheet that will be enclosed with upcoming sewer bills to inform customers about pump maintenance responsibilities.

Public concerns and context: resident John Jansen spoke during public comment, reporting repeated sewer backups into his rental properties and adding several related concerns: spray paint under the Highway 171 bridge, private garbage being dumped in the community-building dumpster and a village tractor sitting broken down outside the Utility Building. The minutes record these concerns but include no staff response at this meeting.

Other sewer-related notes: the fence around the sewer ponds remains unrepaired; the board asked Cody Sidie for an update and expects the work to be completed soon.

Next steps: the special meeting on June 24 is intended to present engineering projections and answer resident questions; the board did not take final rate-setting action at the June 9 meeting.