Opponents to plan gaining strength on Home Services

Jan

Opponents to plan gaining strength

posted by admin in Sewer Septic

Trent Woods group disagrees with cost, need of sewer systemTRENT WOODS — Opposition to a plan connecting residents here to New Berns wastewater treatment system has been loud and steady for a year.A small but vocal core group has gained momentum and support for their objections of plans to pipe Trent Woods sewage to New Berns new $23 million wastewater treatment facility.Attendance at meetings, particularly of those voicing opposition to the plan, has increased, and while commissioners do not appear to share their views, they have given at least lip service support to their involvement.The group circulated a survey to about 1,800 residents in November, and Kenneth Morris III reported the outcome to town commissioners in December. Responses from 579 residents indicated 496 are opposed to the project, 65 support it and 18 offered no opinion, he said.They have assembled a raft of information from an assortment of sources — Craven County Health Department, the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the national Environmental Protection Agency, and assorted university and trade-related studies — to support their position that the town does not need a sewer system.Members of the ad hoc group that included Morris, David LaVigne, Owen Andrews, Marc Jessup and Mike Cook as survey signers and others including Shane Tourney, Joe Carracci, Jupp Rice, Zack Taylor, M.T. Bailey, Dave Brown and Tom Wissemann have gone through the related paperwork at town hall. Some have written letters to the editor and LaVigne has written two opinion pieces published in the Sun Journal.They have established a Web site, Trentwoodsreport, to get their information to fellow residents. They have occasionally stumbled onto data no longer part of the plan now under consideration and been quietly accused of disseminating inaccurate or biased information, and they have even politely accused each other of sometimes lacking public discretion or getting too personal about a matter that is simply business.They make no bones about the fact that the groups aim is to halt forward progress toward signing the contract with New Bern, now under consideration. They maintain traditional septic systems continue to work well for most of the towns 1,756 residences and are the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach to handling this human need.They say the town should at least conduct a formal feasibility study to measure the cost and environmental advantages of one method over another before moving forward with a project that will triple its tax rate and add a monthly bill, the amount of which town officials have no control. One former commissioner, Robert P. Holmes, who originally supported a treatment facility approach, changed his mind. He now thinks managed septic systems are Trent Woods best approach. He says they offer the added advantage of serving as a cap on growth that can help preserve the character of the town should future boards change zoning requirements.Group members concede some town residents have problems and maintain they are centered in areas including Turnberry Court, Creeks End, some of Bellefern and the Greenwood area. They say problems in large measure stem more from design and installation problems than soil type and, as a result, do not stand to be duplicated throughout Trent Woods in well-maintained on-site systems.Several members of the group met with former Mayor Mike Gorman and Commissioner Sean Corcoran in December. They first thought their elected officials seemed responsive to considering alternatives presented to the town. But as contract signing time nears, several said little enthusiasm for alternatives is now apparent.When Morris spoke to commissioners in December he said, “with close to one-third of Trent Woods residents responding in dissension to a sewer system, and with significant environmental information that indicates that a septic system model is preferable to a sewer system, we are asking the town to reconsider this matter one last time.” The groups members were encouraged by the towns appropriation of money to fund an informational brochure/survey, and originally were told their input would be included, but those plans have stymied and several opponents indicated Friday they feel their efforts at this point are gestures in futility — that the decision already has been made. “Nobody from the town of Trent Woods has ever provided us with any evidence that septic tanks are any more or less environmentally damaging than treatment plants,s” Morris said.”The evidence is to the contrary, that septic is more environmentally friendly, and going to sewer is a lateral move at best. So it comes down to a money issue. And spending $8 million that is questionably necessary is hard to condone.”We dont think theyre doing right thing.”Sue Book can be reached at ext. 262 or at mailto:sue_booklink.sue_booklink..