By Melody Maust

Washington Times-Herald Editor

MONTGOMERY -- Supporters say a new rural residential sewer line will clean up the land and water at West Boggs, while replacing aging septics in the area. But opponents say it will cost too much and their septic systems work just fine.

About 150 property owners, including 75 or so Amish men (and a few women) turned out for a state hearing at Dinky Center concerning the proposed project.

The new $4 million sewer system would serve portions of Barr and Van Buren Townships in Daviess County and Perry Township in Martin County, which are not currently served by sewage disposal utilities. All residents in the area would be required to connect, with customers paying a one-time connection fee of $750. A customer who produces 3,650 gallons of waste water per month would pay a monthly bill of $54.46.

Of the 20 or so who testified at Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission hearing, about 2-1 spoke out against the project for which more than $3 million in federal grant money has already been awarded.

The Indiana Office of the Utility Consumer Counselor requested the field hearing after receiving numerous complaints on the project, including a petition signed by 182 consumers.

William Larkin, of Rt. 3 Loogootee, said the project will not benefit the lake as much as proponents say it would. He contended cattle and horses in the area produce most of the waste that is contaminating the lake. "They produce four times the waste we do," he said of the farm animals.

Jerry Lynch, who also lives in the sewer district, contends the future of West Boggs is dependent upon the project. The civil engineer who serves on the Daviess-Martin Joint Park Board which oversees West Boggs, said, "There isn't a person in this room who hasn't enjoyed the lake."

Lynch also said he didn't believe everyone in the room was a would-be consumer of the district, making reference to the large turnout from the Amish community. Steve Gootee, vice president of the West Boggs Sewer District, said only 11 or 12 Amish homes are in the affected area. He thought the large turnout was due to untrue rumors circulating that the project would soon expand countywide. "We are only concerned with our District," Gootee said of the project. He thought the Amish men may have been there to morally support each other as they spoke in opposition to the electrical power needed to run the grinder and pump system at each residence.

Gootee reaffirmed his assurance that, if the project is approved, the sewer board intended to see that no one's religious beliefs are violated.

Howard Stoll, who lives on the lake, said the project is the "poorest system" he's ever seen. "When the pump backs up, where does the runoff go?" he asked. He said previous sewer meetings were kept quiet, and that "not one Amish received notice."

"I live on the lake and I didn't receive a notice (any prior meetings) of any kind," Stoll said.

Stoll encouraged homeowners with problems to fix the systems they now have.

"We already got bills. It don't take this is to clean up the lake," he added.

Kenneth Stemen concurred that the project and prior meetings were "a lot of shady stuff." He testified that the lake water is tested late at night.

"It seems to be the wealthy doing this," Stemen said of the proposed project.

David Lee Graber, who has a new home on St. Mary's Road, said he is opposed to the project because he considers the cost excessive, and because he expects rates to raise eventually.

Graber said Daviess-Martin County REMC loaned several thousand dollars to get the project started, and that Midwestern Engineers had already conducted expensive feasibility studies.

Graber also said he thought the City of Loogootee was in favor of the project as the 300 new customers would help pay for upgrades now being done to the city's sewage plant where the new waste would be treated.

"I realize these people are very powerful and politically motivated," he said.

Sue Callahan, a real estate agent, spoke in favor of the project, as did Richard Beasley, chairman of the West Boggs Lake Conservation Association. Callahan said it would raise property values in the area, while Beasley said he represented 130 WBLCA members who strongly support the project.

"We have long been concerned about bacterial contamination in West Boggs Lake from residential septic systems," Beasley said. He asserted the problem will worsen with more new development and aging existing septics.

Beasley said, "It is my belief that if we do not put this system in now, we will be required to by the state in the not-too-distant future. And at that time it is unlikely we will get this kind of financial support. Connection fees would easily be several thousand dollars."

Rich Sterkel, of Loogootee, said he built a new home in a Loogootee subdivision in 1999. Although he has a $6,000 septic system, he is a supporter of the sewer project. He said, "I'd like to have the lake and my home for a long time." But Sterkel was also sympathetic to what he called his "Amish friends and neighbors." He testified he thought officials should find some kind of reasonable accommodations for the Amish folks' religious beliefs.

Warren Hays, who lives on CR 350N, testified that 23 homes on his nearby one-half mile stretch were not in the West Boggs watershed, but were counted to elevate the sewer district's homeowner count. "Our entire runoff flows 2 miles south of the West Boggs dam," Hays said. The majority of his neighbors do not want the new sewer lines, he asserted.

"We don't need a thousand more dollars in annual expenses," Hays said.

No decisions were made by the IURC or OUCC at the hearing.