The Marshall County Council members support funding for a preliminary engineering study to find a solution for the county’s failing septic issues, but the council members aren’t proposing that the funding come from the General Fund.
The council members were asked to help fund the county-wide engineering study at a cost of $50,000, but Council President Judy Stone directed her comments to Marshall County Health Board President Dr. Byron Holum where she recommended that the Marshall County Health Department fund the study.
“There’s money there to pay for this study out of the health department budget, which in my opinion, is probably where it should be funded from since this was brought to us by the health department,” said Stone.
In order for the funding to be formally approved, a $50,000 additional appropriation request from the health department would need to be advertised and considered in a future council meeting. The Marshall County Council members unanimously approved a motion to go forward with the support of the preliminary engineering study.
From there, Ken Jones from Jones, Petrie and Rafinski said it will take about
six months to complete a preliminary engineering study. They will review all information by the
health department whose employees have identified the risk areas and water
quality data to include in the proposed paperwork.
“It’ll include a very good description and understanding of what the existing conditions are, what the capabilities of these communities are from an environmental standpoint relative to wastewater treatment, cost estimates for all of the preferred or selected alternates, recommendations for each and every one of those unincorporated areas, and it will also include a priority matrix for the health department and local officials, and maybe someday the regional sewer district board, as to how they select projects moving forward,” said Jones.
A community input and outreach component will also be worked into the document.
They will ensure compliance with IDEM requirements in case there is an application for a regional sewer district, plus inclusion of all information necessary for the Indiana Finance Authority and USDA for possible funding options.
