The Marshall County Commissioners discussed a funding request for the Regional Sewer District during their recent meeting.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management approved Marshall County’s petition to create a Regional Sewer District in late 2022. The District is a form of government that functions solely to handle drinking water, solid waste or wastewater infrastructure needs. In Marshall County, the plan only includes wastewater. The District will focus on 13 priority service areas.
Marshall County Regional Sewer District Chairman Thomas McFadden initially presented a funding request to the commissioners in June to assist with start-up costs with the retention of an engineer, financial advisor, and legal expert in the field in order to give the Sewer District Board of Directors a direction. The commissioners recommended that McFadden speak to the county’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) committee for securing APRA funding up to $125,000 for the proposed start-up costs. Part of the cost was for legal fees for the creation of the District in the amount of $16,925 which the committee did support. The committee members thought that taxpayer money should not be used for this purpose as the district should be funded by user fees.
McFadden explained to the commissioners that his understanding of ARPA funding was that it was federal grant money and its initial focus was to go toward water and wastewater infrastructure and broadband. He also noted several concerns.
McFadden stated, “What really concerns me is that at some point we have septics that fail it’s going to harm the health, but it’s also going to harm the economy of Marshall County. I’m concerned that to outsiders – businesses and prospective future residents we won’t appear to be an attractive place to live. I was just a little frustrated by the process.”
The committee thought maybe a loan could be done with county funds with repayment in time, but Auditor Angie Birchmeier said she would need to discuss the process, if it can be legally done, with the State Board of Accounts.
Commissioner Kevin Overmyer stated he was still inclined to take the start-up money from the county’s ARPA funding which was echoed by Commissioner Michael Burroughs. Overmyer commented that he did not believe the county should be in the “banking business”.
Commission President Stan Klotz said that he agreed that the start-up costs should be spent with ARPA funds, but questions future spending on projects in the district as time goes on. Overmyer said he thought the first project would help future projects in the district.
Overmyer made a motion to send the recommendation to the Marshall County Council to spend ARPA funding for the start-up costs for the Marshall County Regional Sewer District.
“On top of that motion, I’m just going to add at the end of that motion that if they don’t approve this, then I’m not taking another plan to the ARPA Committee,” commented Overmyer. “We can just send the money back to the federal government at the end of 2024. I’m not in favor of spending any more money out of ARPA until they are funded.”
Burroughs seconded the motion. Klotz commented that he simply supported the funding request. The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
The council will consider that appropriation during their August meeting.
Later in the meeting, the commissioners did unanimously approve a motion to pay the legal fees of $16,925 out of ARPA funds which was recommended by the ARPA committee.
