City Wants Sewer Expansion Project To Move Ahead

By The New Salem Journal staff

The New Salem Journal/STPNS

October 23, 2007

NEW SALEM, North Dakota (STPNS) -- The New Salem City Council assured Kadrmas, Lee and Jackson, the engineering firm working on the city's proposed sewer line project to extend the city sewer line to New Salem's north business district, that they want to move ahead with the project.

Andrew Aakre an engineer with Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson, was a guest at the October 15th meeting of the council, introducing himself and discussing the project with the board. Roger Berg, the KLJ engineer who was working on the project has left the firm and Aakre is taking his place with the project.

Aakre discussed with the council the four parts of the city's sewer line project.

First, he said lagoon water storage has to be addressed. Aakre said the city's 10-acre cell will have to come up from it's current 6 1/2 feet to 8 feet to meet Health Department regulations.

The next part of the project is extension of sanitary sewer to the north business district, providing sewer service to those areas. The third item included is supplying quality water to the golf course, and fourth, opinions for cost of all these projects will have to be estimated and considered.

As far as the city's lagoon system is concerned, Aakre said he and fellow engineer Jerry Volk, who is working with him on the project, would recommend that the dike of the primary cell be raised and the bottom cleaned of sludge. They also recommended that the third cell be relined and brought back into service. After studying the matter Aakre and Volk believe that if wastewater from the lagoon can be used to water the golf course, that will help alleviate any water storage problems with the lagoon.

Aakre said that the city's lagoon system should then be able to sustain the demand for storage for the city's wastewater using the three existing lagoon cells if they are in working condition.

Also discussed was a pump system to get wastewater from the city's lagoon to the golf course.

Aakre said the plan would be to pump wastewater from the third cell to the golf course. Some type of reservoir or tank will be needed to store water there.

Aakre also said the addition of the north businesses to the city sewer system will not affect city lagoons because they have already been figured in with the preliminary engineering work, which was based on city water usage and the north businesses receive city water.

KLJ has started the application process for grant funds for the project through the USDA, which is usually a 30-50 percent grant. Aakre said the project will also be pitched to the USDA Rural Development as well, and it was noted that funds may be available through the State Department of Health in the form of a revolving fund.

The council voted to move ahead with the sewer line project.

The board discussed "welcome" signs that could be put up as people enter New Salem from the east and from the west along Old Highway 10. A sample of iron signs made by a Hebron man were on display for the council to view. Mayor Owens said the signs would be 4 feet by 4 feet and cost $300 each. One sign would depict the "Wrongside Up" incident and the other would picture a train.

The council approved purchase of the two signs. Mayor Owens added that the city will also have to have permission from Morton County to erect the signs because those areas where the signs will be placed are roadways maintained by the county.

The council was informed that Missouri West Water Systems will be increasing the water rate to the city effective January 1. The council does not know yet, how much the rate increase will be.

Loren Christian, 111 E. Elm Ave., was at the council meeting to dispute the $800 water line connection fee charged to new residences.

Christian said he had already incurred $3,000 worth of fees to have a new water line installed from his home to the water main, and that considered, he felt that he should not also have to pay the $800 water hook-up fee.

Mayor Owens and auditor Wessels explained that the $800 hook-up fee is a one-time fee charged to all new residences, regardless of other costs the homeowner may have incurred in getting water to their home.

After reading through the city's ordinance regarding the water hook-up fee for new residences, Wessels and Owens explained that after the point of paying the hook-up fee the city is responsible for the new water line from the curb stop to the main line and the homeowner is responsible for the water line from the curb stop to their home.

Fay Sanders appeared before the council seeking formal letters from the city deeming two mobile homes in her trailer park condemned.

She asked for the condemnation letters to help speed the process of getting the owners of the two mobile homes to remove them from her park. She said the homes are hazardous, unsightly and uninhabitable. Sanders said one is being removed and she wants to have the other one moved from the park. The council will draft letters of condemnation for Sanders from the city.

Gloria Kitzmann who lives at 210 Elm Ave. E., visited with the council regarding a question of where her property lines lie. Clint Feland, Marshall Lumber and Clint Feland Inc., is installing a water line to property he is building on in that northeast area of town. City personnel recently measured the street to determine where a fire hydrant should be placed. There was some question as to where Kitzmann's property lines ran as a result. The matter will be turned over to the city's Planning and Zoning Committee for further study and recommendation. The issue will be revisited at the December meeting.

Discussion turned to the issue of dangerous property located at 117 N. 3rd St. and owned by Gary and Charlene Hoffart. The Hoffarts were served with papers regarding condemnation of their property on Sept. 18, which allowed them 30 days to comply with the order to fix up or tear down the property, or the city can begin issuing fines of up to $500 per day.

It was the decision of the council to begin assessing the Hoffarts a fine of $10 per day after Oct. 18, until they comply with the city's orders regarding the condemnation of their property.

The Hoffarts were to have taken fixed up or tore down the structure the past summer.



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