Lake residents voice concerns on Regional Sewer Board's plans, ask County Commissioners for help

Citizens of Lake Latonka and Lawrence Lake appeared at the Marshall County Commissioners’ meeting on Monday seeking their assistance in dealing with the Marshall County Sewer District board.

Many from the lake communities have attended the Sewer Board meeting, voicing their concerns and saying they feel like they aren’t being listened to.

Bill Woodward of Peach Road in Plymouth spoke as a representative of the lake communities and told the commissioners they are getting the run-around from board president Tom McFadden. While most of the 600 residents aren’t experiencing any issues with their septic systems, they feel they are being forced to connect to an expensive system that most of them don’t need.

About 4 to 5 years ago, a committee was created to look at the issues with septic systems around the lakes and those that are grouped close together.  After that study several public meetings were held during County Commissioner meetings, and eventually a public hearing was conducted in the county with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM).  IDEM took several months to review the documentation and comments from the public and determined that the county should form a sewer district.  The board was to review the 12 to 14 locations around the county that the survey showed needed to address septic systems. They were to determine where to begin and create a solution.  Those solutions were not spelled out, but the assumption was that sewage would be piped into existing facilities in the communities, or stand-alone sewage treatment plants could be an option.

On Monday, the Commissioners were told that Tom McFadden, President of the Regional Sewer Board, is pushing the sewer system on citizens, no matter what the consequences are.  The concerned citizens were told they could apply for an exemption, but their concern is that the Sewer Board would make the determination of who would be granted one.  Woodward also said people were told that if they don’t comply, they could be taken to court, fined, or even have a lien placed on their property.

Homeowners around the lake have heard it will cost them $200 a month to flush their toilets, plus connecting to the system, electricity for a grinder pump, and the cost to close off their septic systems.  The commissioners estimated $6,000 to $10,000.

The lake residents asked the commissioners to help them and suggested removing Tom McFadden, who is one of their five appointees to the Sewer Board.

The lake residents are joining together in hopes of slowing or stopping the rural sewer project.  There will be a meeting at the Plymouth Public Library on Wednesday, May 21^st, at 6 p.m. They will be discussing the project and how to fight against it.