Gardiner Sanitary
District
Town Hall Meeting
July 18, 2012 6:00
p.
Gardiner Fire Hall
Town Hall was called to order by Chairman Jackie Degman who introduced the Board and Garrett Pallo,
the District’s engineer. Mr. Pallo
made a brief presentation regarding
sewer rates. He gave a power point with
graphics that pointed out the increases the District is facing. Reedsport has presented its bill for the next
fiscal year and our rates have more than doubled. Our Reedsport bill $120,000 for this
coming year, which includes Operation
and Maintenance of over $37,0000 and over $83,000 of debt not counting the
District separate Operation and Maintenance and debt.
The District’s income from patrons is about $90,0000 and
from Taxes about $56,000. So the District presently has approximately $146,000
income per year. After paying the Reedsport Bill it would leave us with about
$7,000.00 to operate our District.
A brief background was given about the history of the
project since 2006. The District signed an agreement with IP in 2009 to purchase the 46.86 acre Lagoon and
Brownfields for $10.00. Receiving a
intrinsic value of about $15,000,000.00.
We need about $3,000,00 to complete the Lagoon option. In 2009 we signed MAO with DEQ for this
option. The process continued with all the studies DEQ required and the
Predesign also required, which was completed at the end of 2010,
In January 2011 we asked Douglas County to Sponsor us for a
Community Block Grant, the way they did with Winchester Bay, they declined wanting
us to stay with Reedsport. The County has concerns mainly about whether we as a
District could manage such an undertaking and the Brownfield’s liability. The State (Business Oregn)convinced the
County to do another engineering study to look at the viability of the Gardiner
Lagoon Option. That Study has been completed and we will meet with all the
concerned parties soon. Becky Bryant,
the State Business Oregon Rep, will set the meeting.
The Gardiner Patrons are very impatient and worried about
our future as a District.
We discussed increasing rates as an unavoidable action, how
we increase them is the next step. The rate will increase whether we are forced
to stay with Reedsport or are able to go north to the Lagoon.
The Gardiner Patrons would like the Board to send them a
“template “ of a letter to the
County Commissioners.
We shared our new Blog as a way to better communicate with our Patrons
and try to do a better job of communicating what is happening from month to
month.
Respectfully submitted by,
Dixie Hash, GSD Board Member
