FORT MITCHELL — The wastewater treatment plant in Alexandria was chosen Monday as the site for a new, larger treatment facility.

        The unanimous decision by the board of directors of Sanitation District No.1 produced cheers from a group of property owners who have farms along 12 Mile Creek, the other possible site.

        The facility eventually will serve all of Campbell County's waste treatment needs.

        Board members went into a closed-door session during Monday night's special meeting at the Drawbridge Inn to discuss what property they would need to acquire. They later indicated that their decision was influenced by the lack of any homes at the Alexandria site.

        “I looked at a lot of things, but one of the big factors was not displacing any homeowners at the Alexandria site,” board member Kathleen Collins said.

        Board president Rick Kennedy emphasized that selecting a site was difficult.

        “One thing that made a

        difference in how I looked at this decision was learning recently there was a need for a retention basin or basins at the Alexandria location,” Mr. Kennedy said. “Those retention ponds would be there even if we built the plant along 12 Mile, and they would cost $3 million in addition to the cost of the plant.”

        While about a dozen residents of the 12 Mile Creek/Neises Road area addressed the board with pleas to locate the treatment plant in Alexandria, only two people spoke in opposition to that site.

        One was Earl Woeste, whose parents, Don and Rose Woeste, own the property adjacent to the present treatment plant. Mr. Woeste said that contrary to ru mors, the family had no plans to sell their land off Ky. 10.

        “There has never been a for sale sign there,” Mr. Woeste said. “We enjoy our farm, just like the people down on 12 Mile. We have horses and a barn there. It's unfortunate that someone has to be affected by this (plant).”

        Mr. Kennedy said, however, that he spoke with Don Woeste during a public information meeting in September and was told by Mr. Woeste that he was willing to discuss sale of the land.

        “He said he understood that the facility had to go somewhere and no one wanted it,” Mr. Kennedy said. “He said he would talk to us.”

        The new treatment plant is needed not only to handle development in Campbell County over the next 20 years, but also to replace the current facility, which is inadequate even for present treatment needs.

        The Alexandria plant regularly overflows during heavy storms, sending untreated or partially treated wastewater into nearby streams.

        Mr. Kennedy said the district's next step is to contact the Woestes and open discussion on purchasing the land.

        Although the original consultants' plan called for a 15-acre site, the district now wants to have a total of 80 acres so there is sufficient natural buffer around the plant to shield it from current housing as well as any future development.

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