Freeland to pay for sewer district

The signatures are in, and in downtown Freeland, the ayes have it.

Fifty-one percent of property owners in Freeland’s business district said “yes” recently to paying to fund the creation of a sewer district and a sewer feasibility study for the downtown area. The effort to begin seriously considering bringing a sanitary sewer to Freeland’s businesses has been spearheaded by the Freeland Chamber of Commerce political action committee. The committee started its efforts this spring by surveying a total of 99 downtown property owners.

Mike Dolan, a chamber board member, said of the 99 people who own property in the 175-acre survey area, 53 have agreed to contribute the funds needed to form a sewer district and to fund a feasibility study.

The sewer district will be formed through the Freeland Water District. Expenses for the sewer district and study are expected to total $61,000, and will be totally funded by local property and business owners.

“With the information provided by the feasibility study, the property owners will then have to decided whether they want to go ahead with a sewer system,” Dolan said this week.

Dolan estimates the formation of the sewer district and feasibility study will take at least 12 months.

Dolan said the chamber will continue to solicit additional signatures of support.

Of the business owner who have signed, all have committed a minimum of $600. Some have offered to pay more than that, Dolan said.

The money will be held in the an escrow account with the Freeland Chamber of Commerce. Invoices for work related to the sewer district and study would be submitted to the chamber and then paid.

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