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Bayfield rcves $400K for san plant
6/22/2007 By: Sarah Silvernail
There may be a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel in regards to Bayfield’s sanitation issues. United States Senator Wayne Allard announced that he has secured $400,000 for a clean water project in Bayfield in the 2008 Interior Appropriations bill.
“Federal funding for Bayfield’s sewer facility is critical,” Allard stated in a recent press release. “I am pleased that my seat on the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee puts me in a position to secure this important funding. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on the Senate and House Appropriations Committees to ensure that this important project remains funded.”
According to Justin Clifton, town and sewer district manager, the bill was co-sponsored by Senator Ken Salazar. The proposal is currently at subcommittee which has approved the bill and has yet to go through the Appropriations Committee. Clifton informed the board at Tuesday night’s meeting that in addition to the support of the senators Bayfield also has support in the house.
“…We have support from both state senators and received it the first time we asked,” Clifton stated.
The town is planning on taking over the sewer district the first of January 2008. The sewer district would like to make $500,000 worth of improvements to the existing sewage system to satisfy the needs of downstream water users until a new plant can be built.
The Times previously reported that the new proposed plant has been estimated at a cost of $6.5 million. According to Clifton the new plant would provide the town of Bayfield with the “best technology…which could save the town $60,000 a year in operations.”
“This is long over due and our schedule of the end of the year, in my mind, is absolutely the direction we need to take,” mayor pro-tem Rick Smith said of the town’s first -of-the-year take over.
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