Sewer issue dominates council meeting

KILLEN -- The town council Thursday accepted a motion to conduct an engineering study that could possibly provide an alternative to a sewage treatment plant on Bridge Road.

But it was a call for a motion that went unanswered that provoked the greatest debate at Killen's town council meeting.

Rhea Fulmer, one of the leaders of Bridge Road Environmental Watch, or BREW, asked Killen Mayor Jerry Mitchell to request a motion to eliminate a 70-acre site along Bridge Road from consideration as a site for the sewage treatment plant.

Fulmer told council members that they "can put an end to this tonight."

But after a passionate debate on the subject among concerned residents, the mayor and council members, Mitch-ell asked if there was a motion regarding the matter. None was made.

Earlier in the meeting, the council did pass a motion giving the town's engineer permission to conduct a study to test the economic feasibility of connecting to Florence's sewer system.

The mayor told-residents at the meeting that it was in Florence's 1981 20-year plan to provide sewage capacity for outlying areas, including Killen.

The issue, Mitchell said, is how to get the sewage to Florence's system.

The closest hookup would be near Veterans Park, several miles from Killen.

To get to that location, sewage would have to cross Shoal Creek, either across an existing bridge, which would need DOT approval, or by going under the creek.

Mitchell said hooking up to Florence's system would likely be an expensive project.

Rusty McCutchen, a member of BREW, wondered how the financial cost of connecting to Florence would be weighed against the issues associated with the potential Bridge Road site.

"If the city of Florence option is much more expensive than the (Bridge Road) option, then how do

you add the value of the quality of life (for the residents near Bridge Road)?" McCutchen asked.

McCutchen said he feared residents' concerns could be outweighed by economic factors that could possibly make the Bridge Road site more attractive.

Mitchell said there would be several factors, including capacity and the life of the treatment plant, and other issues, that would have to be weighed before any decision is made.

Fulmer and dozens of other residents who live near the potential site of a sewage treatment plant have attended the past three council meetings in opposition of the project.

At Thursday's meeting, Fulmer presented the council with copies of a study that discusses the environmental effects of a spray irrigation plant on the environment. "This shows that our flooding would increase."

As he has at other town council meetings, Mitchell reiterated that the company is still in the early stages of investigating the feasibility of the site.

Mitchell said the company is in the process of evaluating its test results, which he does not have.

"It's not something that is rushed, and we're not facing a deadline."

Mitchell said the company has not made an official proposal, or even suggested whether or not the project was feasible.

If it is determined that the project is feasibile for the company, environmental tests would have to be conducted, public hearings take place and costs and other concerns weighed, Mitchell said.

"If it gets to the point where we feel we want to go through with this, then those concerns will be addressed," Mitchell said.

Even though the engineering study could provide an alternative to placing a plant on Bridge Road, Fulmer said she and members of BREW would proceed opposing the project.

"I'm going to continue because it is still an option," Fulmer said.

The debate about the project began when Alabama Utility Services LLC, a Birmingham-based company that installs, operates-and manages private sewer systems, began conducting feasibility tests at the 70-acre site on Bridge Road.

Mitchell and even some members of BREW have maintained that the town does need a sewage system to accommodate growth and development.

Members of BREW, however, say the site along Bridge Road, which was chosen for testing by Alabama Utility Services, is not the right location, because of the topography of the land.

Even after the council refused to remove Bridge Road from consideration for the project, several members of BREW promised-that they would not let the issue die.

Ty West can be reached at 740-5720 or at ty.west@timesdaily.com.