Budget cuts endanger septic-system loans

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, June 24, 2003

Money to start a revolving loan fund to assist Freeborn County residents in updating their sewage systems may not make it into the county’s budget, and it may hurt efforts to curb a public health hazard.

During a workshop discussion about budgets cuts, commissioners discussed the possibility of $200,000 being removed from the Freeborn County Environmental Services department’s budget.

Much of that money was earmarked for watershed-management efforts that will now be the responsibility of a new watershed district expected to be formed this week. But Freeborn County Director of Environmental Services Randy Tuchtenhagen said cutting the budget would also mean not funding a revolving-loan fund that would help Freeborn County residents update their sewage systems, some of which may pose health risks.

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He estimates that 30 percent of sewage systems in Freeborn County are non-compliant with regulations and pose a potential health risk. With septic systems dumping raw sewage into ditches and cracked tanks leaking sewage, noncompliant sytstems threaten public health and water quality.

Tuchtenhagen said he has a stack of 30 applications for loans that his office hasn’t issued while awaiting an answer on possible budget cuts. The loans would be low interest and paid back in a few years.

But with state budget cuts to the county reaching $836,000, and the possibility of more cuts, the county is faced with the decision of cutting funding to all sorts of departments to avoid using reserve funds. In this case, it involves what Tuchtenhagen described as the public health risk of sewage flowing into the watershed and polluting water in the county.

Freeborn County Finance Manager Bill Helfritz was not optimistic about the possible funding. &uot;We just don’t have the money,&uot; he said. He said the county must prioritize and that may mean cutting funding for certain programs. He also pointed out the lack of staffing to administer the loans.

Nothing has been decided yet, but County Board Chairman Mark Behrends said their budget recommendations will probably mean cutting about $200,000 from environmental services. But he added the commission may find a way to update sewage systems, and nothing has been decided yet.

Commissioners Glen Mathiason and Dave Mullenbach said that funding for the revolving fund just doesn’t exist.

&uot;I think it’s a good idea, we just don’t have the money right now,&uot;

Mullenbach said.

Mathiason said it’s possible that the county will find a way to help residents’ septic tanks achieve compliance.

The $200,000 had been budgeted for the county’s own watershed-management efforts until the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) created one.

Harley Miller, who will be a manager of the new Shell Rock River Watershed District, said he hoped that the county could take care of the Shell Rock River Watershed, while his group, which meets for the first time on Thursday night, gets organized. It’s possible that his group could relieve some financial constraints from the county.

The workshop adjourned shortly after Commissioner Dan Belshan said, &uot;With zero net cost to the budget, I don’t see how it would have a big effect on the budget,&uot; referring to the loans.