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Council questions town-funded sewer work after manager cites $142,196 in Mineral Avenue costs
Summary
Councilors debated whether to run a sewer line on West 8th Street at an estimated $80,000–$110,000 for a single connection after the manager detailed roughly $142,196 in recent town spending to extend water/sewer to developments on Mineral Avenue. Council asked staff to negotiate with the property owner and to return with options.
Councilors criticized prior decisions to use taxpayer money to extend water and sewer infrastructure to developments and debated whether to approve a proposed sewer line on West 8th Street that could cost the town $80,000–$110,000 for a single connection.
The town manager told council that in recent months the town paid two invoices of $48,009.88 and $47,002.23 to run water and sewer lines to a development, plus additional runs (totaling roughly $142,196), while the connection fees collected from new properties were far smaller. The manager said that one single connection on 8th Street would produce a tapping fee of $10,720 while costing taxpayers tens of thousands to run the line.
Council debated alternatives. One councilor proposed refunding the homeowner’s $10,720 connection fee and allowing the owner to use the refund to maintain a septic system (pumping once a year), which the councilor argued would defer a large town capital outlay and serve both parties. Others said the town had previously committed to run the line and that the manager had already purchased about $10,000 of materials; a councilor said the town must balance prior commitments and fiscal prudence.
Council did not approve an immediate large expenditure. The manager said she would contact the property owner and return with options; council also asked staff to re-check where past infrastructure payments were approved in the record. Members directed staff to provide copies of invoices and code sections to clarify whether developer or owner responsibility applied under existing town code.
The discussion underscored tensions between accelerating development and protecting the town’s budget; councilors asked staff for more precise cost estimates and to explore alternatives before deciding whether to proceed.
