Bismarck needs new wastewater treatment plant

By CHRIS CLINE
Daily Journal Staff Writer

Published: Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Updated: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 10:52 AM CST

BISMARCK — Nine concerned citizens attended Bismarck’s town hall meeting Tuesday evening about the proposed bond issue and wastewater treatment plant. Bismarck Mayor Dennis Mayberry, the board of aldermen and representatives from Taylor Engineering were on hand to answer questions the public had about new plant.

“Obviously, I had hoped for a better turnout,” Mayberry said. “We tried to get the word out there through the media that this was going on tonight, but for whatever reason we didn’t have a big crowd. That’s OK though, we are going to keep moving forward to educate our residents about how important this is.”

The City of Bismarck has a $2.5 million dollar bond issue on a special Feb. 3 ballot. If passed, the bond issue would pay for a new wastewater treatment facility for the city.

The city’s current treatment plant is not acceptable, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Sludge and sewage runoff into a nearby stream has prompted DNR to give Bismarck a time frame in which it must correct the plant’s problems.

“Our current plant is not doing what it is designed to do,” Mayberry told those in attendance Tuesday. “It can’t take care of the solids. Everything that we have tried so far has been a temporary fix. We are facing issues with state enforcement right now. If we don’t comply, next will be the attorney general.”

Mayberry said if the issue isn’t addressed, the city will be fined for every day it is not in compliance.

“How can we maintain a budget or a general fund if we are getting fined every time we turn around,” he said.

The proposed new wastewater treatment plant has an estimated price tag of $5.4 million. Currently Bismarck’s population is 1,500. The proposed plant is capable of treating waste from as many as 4,000 people.

In addition to bond proceeds the city would use proceeds from government loans and grants to pay for the new plant.

Alan Williams, manager of the Bismarck treatment plant, said in order for the city to qualify for any grants or any additional funding, the bond issue has to be passed.

“We are pretty confident we can get funding for the rest of the project if the bond issue is passed,” Williams said.

He said in order for the issue to pass it needs a simple majority, 50 percent plus one.

One resident asked if the city would raise water rates to pay for the new wastewater treatment plant. Mayberry said yes the city would to an extent, but didn’t have any exact figures.

“Until we know how much this is going to exactly cost, we won’t know how much revenue we will have to generate to pay the debt back. Most residents would agree that they pay practically nothing for water usage right now. Our rates would be comparable to what other cities charge.”

Alderman Carol Baker said rates for the majority of residents would not increase “much.”

“Now if you have a swimming pool and you are constantly running water, yes you are going to have to pay more,” she said.

Mayberry said new water meter installation is also incorporated into the project.

Tim Robbs, an engineer with Taylor Engineering, said if the bond issue is passed it would most likely be a minimum of two years before the new plant would be operational.

Another town hall meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Jan. 27 at the Bismarck Elementary multi-purpose room.

Chris Cline is a reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact him at 573-431-2010, ext. 114 or at ccline@dailyjournalonline.com.

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