Attendees:
Lisa-Ann Oliver, Flaura’s Acres
Tom Noonan, Flaura’s Acres
Travis Porter, Commerce, Small Communities Initiative Program
Cynthia Fuller, Commerce, Small Communities Initiative Program
Sewer Project
- Tom sent an email to potential Ecology application sponsors but has not received any responses.
- Annual meeting this weekend – will remind people about writing to the elected officials about the sewer connection project.
- Cynthia sent hardship information and engineer’s estimate to Ecology.
- Applying for funding on behalf of Flaura’s does not obligate the applicant to accept any debt offer on behalf of Flaura’s. The projects will be ranked and rated, and a draft offer list will be published in January 2025. If the offer is not sustainable, the applicant can simply decline the offer without penalty or other repercussions. If the offer appears sustainable, there are at least six to nine months before an agreement would be developed to discuss things like a special assessment for repayment of any debt. If the applicant and Flaura’s can’t come to a mutual agreement about repayment of debt, the applicant can decline the funding at that time.
- Ecology can fund project if Flaura’s can find someone to sponsor an application. SCI staff will write the application on behalf of the HOA.
- Ecology funding cycle opens August 13 and closes October 15 at 5 pm. Funds would not be available until after July 1, 2025, so project would likely be completed in the late fall of 2025 or early spring of 2026.
Possible Water Project
- Department of Health has consolidation grant opportunities.
- Wait to see what opportunities are available through Ecology and then potentially apply for DOH funding for a combined project.
Action Items
- Send July 24 meeting notes to Lisa-Ann.
Work to Date
- Design work is completed and submitted to City. City will not issue an approval until the permit fee is paid. Permit fee will be paid when funding is obtained for the project.
- United Engineering provided an updated engineer’s estimate. The project cost is $1.9M.
- Connection fees are $11,322 per home
- Decommissioning of the individual tanks is $450/home.
- Sewer fees will be $96/month per household.
Talking Points
- Big environmental benefit both to protection of surface waters of the state, but also to area groundwater.
- Protection of local drinking water source by eliminating leaking sewer pipes.
- Project is ready to proceed – design has been completed and cost estimates in hand.
- Supported by community, but a big financial burden on many of the community members.
- Project could allow the Association’s drinking water system to be connected to the city in a “dig-once” project, which would align with Dept of Health’s goal of consolidation smaller systems into larger ones.
Other
- Testing for PFAS in all Group A water systems must be conducted by December 2025 (Department of Health requirement).
https://doh.wa.gov/data-and-statistical-reports/washington-tracking-network-wtn/pfas - Lead Service Line Inventory required for all Group A water systems by October 16, 2024 (Department of Health requirement).
https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-01/331-711.pdf
Next Meeting
July 24, 2024 at 9 am