Monette Council set fees for processing of Black Oak’s sewage during Monday evening’s meeting, which is the last leg in project talks that began over 18 years ago.
Black Oak Mayor Eddie Dunigan has met with the Monette City Council members many times during the past two years to discuss cost setting for the project.
During a council working meeting on Aug. 18 the council had agreed to set processing fees at $3.75 per 1,000 gallons and payment of 50 percent of lift station updates.
Dunigan made a final plea for Monette to reconsider the charges.
“Fifty-one percent of our Black Oak residents are in the low to moderate income range,” Dunigan said. “We have to have sewage hook ups. Any cost reduction will help. Many of our residents may have to choose paying for medicine or sewage fees, even though they need the service. We are not asking you to give us anything, just make the charges as low as you can possibly do, while protecting yourself.”
Monette Mayor Bob Blankenship said the city charges its residents $2.72 per 1,000 gallons of sewage now.
“We want to try to help Black Oak, but not to short-change our people either,” Blankenship said. “We built a $2.5 million sewage structure out there and we are always spending money to keep it going. This is a complicated system and we can’t lose money on it.”
Alderman Kristian Nuckles said Black Oak had caused this problem by not doing something before.
After a brief discussion, Councilman Mark Rolland proposed that the fee be changed to $3.00 per 1,000 gallons of sewage and 50 percent of any lift station updates. He also proposed that after the system is in operation for six months, the city re-evaluate the cost of the process and see if the fee needs to be increased or decreased. The council voted unanimously to approve the new rate and six-month re-evaluation.
Dunigan expressed his appreciation for the reconsideration of fees. The city of Black Oak has already been approved for a USDA 75/25 grant for $1.9 million. Plans are to begin the sewer project in Black Oak this fall. The city will install self-reading meters, and lines from the meter to home hookup, at no initial cost to customer. Legalities and easements will need to be obtained for lines from Black Oak to Monette. Service to Black Oak could go online early in 2021.
Original sewage transfer from Black Oak to Monette was first proposed by former Mayor David Fletcher and Alderman Tom Carroll in 2002, after talking to Black Oak Mayor Pete Williams, for potential housing developments along Highway 18. The development plans fell through, but Black Oak Mayor Dunigan came back to Monette Mayor Chub Qualls and Mayor Bob Blankenship to revitalize the original plan and secure a grant. Monday evening’s council decision has officially set the project into motion for completion.
In other council business:
* new playground equipment will be installed in September or October.
* Entergy Solar Energy has gone back to the PSC for completion of service plans.
* council approved up to $6,300 to power wash, scrape, seal, repair and paint exterior of the Buffalo Island Museum, with $4,000 from the Museum account and $2,300 from the General Fund. Mayor Blankenship will make the decision to select the contractor to do the work.
* the city sent a letter to Monette Housing Authority Director Barbara Suber, on July 30, explaining that the city has chosen not to make adjustments to MHA’s water bill. No reply has been received.
* the council set a working meeting for Sept. 14 to discuss adjustments to the animal restrictions in Ordinance 2014-2 and revisions to building fees and city charges in Resolution 2015-3.
* the city plans to offer computer assistance to Monette residents for completing the 2020 Federal Census, which is due for completion in October. Details will be announced soon.