TRAVERSE CITY -- Financial problems at Grand Traverse County's septage treatment plant could prompt officials from some rural townships to bolt the county system for cheaper service.
Green Lake Township officials appear to be leading the anti-septage plant charge, and on Sept. 14 will consider a resolution that warns the county they are prepared to void a contract and ordinance requiring all township septage go to the county plant.
At issue is a proposed special property tax on all county residents and businesses that have septic tank systems.
"We're not at all interested in a special assessment district," said Green Lake Supervisor Paul Biondo, who expressed little trust in allowing county and urban township officials to "get their hands into some more pockets."
The proposed resolution warns that Green Lake will void their septage agreement if the county raises septage rates or imposes a special assessment on township residents. That would allow residents to send their septage to a plant in Benzie County that charges 4 cents for each gallon, a significant savings over Grand Traverse County's per-gallon rate of 12 cents.
County officials said they haven't seen the resolution and declined to speculate on possible financial implications for the septage plant.
Other townships may follow Green Lake's lead.
"The rural townships are very frustrated and I think you could say they are contemplating similar action," said Union Township Supervisor Doug Mansfield.
The townships of Garfield, East Bay, Elmwood, Peninsula and Acme, as well as Grand Traverse County, oversaw septage plant planning, construction and operations through the county's Sewer & Water Committee.
The plant partially collapsed a month after it opened in 2005, is expensive to operate and receives just half the septage originally projected.
A study projects a $2.4 million shortfall over the next five years, mainly because it receives far less septage than anticipated.
A committee comprised of officials from the county board and Board of Public Works is looking at different ways to finance the expected shortfall. Most options revolve around a special assessment of about $40 a year, though the amount varies. The BPW would set a special assessment.
Biondo pointed to the BPW's septage plant oversight failings and objected to letting that board determine rates and administer the tax.
"They are going to special assess our residents in our townships for something they don't even have a handle on," Biondo said. "Is the (assessment) going to work at $45, is it going to work at $50, how about $150?"
Biondo also said the rural townships -- Long Lake, Green Lake, Union, Whitewater, Grant, Mayfield, Paradise and Fife Lake -- have little say in county decisions, since they account for just one seat on any county committee.
Officials from those townships worked over the past several months to make the county aware of their concerns, but they haven't been addressed, Mansfield said.
K. Ross Childs, interim director of the county Department of Public Works, said he has invited members of those township boards to every meeting, held a general meeting with them and communicates regularly with their attorney.
"If there has been a communication breakdown, I don't know where it's at," Childs said.''
