ST. PAUL -- The Renville County community of Bird Island is "on the starting line'' in a race to obtain state bonding funds toward a $14.5 million project to separate its sanitary and storm sewer systems.
Sen. Gary Kubly, DFL-Granite Falls, said the community's preparations and early start could help make the difference as it returns to the Legislature this session to seek state funding help.
"They're on the starting line. They're ready to go,'' Kubly said.
City officials made their case for state help Tuesday to members of a joint House and Senate committee at the Capitol. Kubly and Rep. Lyle Koenen, DFL-Clara City, will introduce bills at the start of the legislative session seeking $2.9 million in state bonding funds for the community.
Mayor Paul Heyl told the joint committee members that Bird Island faces a dilemma with a price tag that exceeds the resources of the rural community of 1,195 people.
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The city's combined sanitary and storm sewer system built in 1971 is often overloaded due to the influx of storm water. Untreated wastes are sometimes discharged into Renville County Ditch 66 and ultimately to the Minnesota River.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will not allow any new sewer extensions until the problem is corrected. In effect, it places a moratorium on new development in the rural community, according to Heyl.
The city has been working to correct the problem. It has completed much of the engineering and planning work. It had taken bids on a major portion of the needed construction.
However, the low bid was $3 million over the engineer's estimate. City officials rejected it.
Heyl told the legislators that it would have been "fiscally irresponsible to borrow more money than the town could afford to pay.''
The city has since been working with the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, to obtain loan and grant funds.
The city needs an additional $4.2 million in grant funds to make the project affordable, Heyl said.
Kubly said the city has already "cranked up'' its water and sewer rates to high levels to raise revenues for the project.
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A door-to-door survey conducted in 1999 showed that 30 percent of the 398 households in Bird Island had incomes below $23,300. One-fourth of the town's population is age 65 and over, according to information the mayor provided legislators.
City officials also pointed out that funding at this point is critical if the city is to take advantage of $1.6 million in USDA grant monies awarded the project. The project must be completed by 2008 to access the federal funds.
The city also wants to coordinate the construction work with work planned in 2007 to reconstruct U.S. Highway 212 in Bird Island.
Kubly said committee members seemed receptive to Bird Island's plea. He said he is also encouraged by Gov. Tim Pawlenty's bonding proposal, which increases state funding for wastewater and infrastructure needs.
