BY DAVID ECK
Enquirer Contributor
MONTGOMERY -- The city is out of the sewer business, at least for now.
At a special meeting Monday night, city council killed a plan to help pay to fix about 60 homes in the Schoolhouse Lane area that run storm water into the sanitary sewer system. But council is expected to introduce a new solution to fix the homes -- one that caps the city's cost.
During heavy rains, runoff causes the sewers to back up, flooding other basements in the neighborhood. The houses that are improperly discharging storm water into the sewer system were built in the 1960s and early 1970s.
"We have a recurring emergency," said Schoolhouse Lane resident Craig Berry. "We're not getting the service we pay for. We're connected, and we're being held hostage."
City officials have said the situation poses a health problem and hurts property values. In some cases, surging sewers have caused manhole covers to pop off.
Under a plan council agreed to in May, the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) would pay $3,000 for each house that needed to be fixed and the city would pay the rest. Estimates to fix the houses could reach $6,100 each, officials said.
Critics of the plan, including some council members, worried that the city's total spending under the arrangement was unlimited. The city had budgeted $50,000 this year and $25,000 next year, but its actual cost might have been twice or even three times that, they said.
"The taxpayers really don't want to see the city of Montgomery getting into the sewer business," resident Myron Wolff said. "It's a particularly delicate situation."
Several citizens filed petitions seeking to stop the spending by referendum on the November ballot. That action became moot when council agreed not to proceed with its original plan.
"I believe that the city of Montgomery should not, not, not be in the sewer business," Councilwoman Janeanne Archiable said. "The city's contribution will not persuade all of the people who are in violation to correct their problem. MSD must enforce the state law, which says no storm water may be discharged into the sanitary sewer."
In opting for a fresh start, council members hope that a new plan will limit the city's contribution -- satisfying the petitioners -- while solving the flooding problems.
"In all good conscience, I can't say "Do nothing,' " said Councilman Gary Blomberg.
Officials from the MSD, who attended the meeting, said they will help by continuing to offer the $3,000 per house and will install a larger sewer line in the area. But the new line, which should help the flooding situation, won't be in place for at least three years.
Meanwhile, on Tollgate Lane, Jay Kastan worries whenever a thunderstorm fires up. "Every time it (floods), it happens to me."
