Editorial: Fairness to new sewer users should be council's priority

Money is among the very complicated issues Marco Island city councilors must sort out as they grapple with septic tank replacement.

The most obvious is the project's cost and how to manage equity for all non-sewer residents, undeveloped lots in areas with sewers and those currently on the sewer system.

Phase one is projected to cost $3.5 million. Costs for future phases planned in the seven-year project are unclear.

Sharing grant assistance equitably kicked off a more than three-hour debate Feb. 6 at the council meeting. The original plan to use an already secured $500,000 grant to reduce costs to the South Barfield Drive and Tigertail areas raised questions about treating all residents fairly. These are the first two of nine areas to undergo sewer construction.

Public speakers felt the council had not considered how all residents, including those already on sewers and who benefit from the system, would support it. Some felt the council lacked creativity in cost assessments and financing. But what most speakers were seeking in financial terms were better answers.

A number City Manager Bill Moss was very definite about was the nearly $20 million that the city would owe if the project were stopped today. That money pays for commitments already made and projects already in process.

Residents who will ultimately foot the bill should know the total cost of what they are buying. Construction projections for large municipal projects such as the sewer are regularly calculated with margins that take into account future charges. Those projections should be prepared and discussed.

The council should consider a ratio of construction need versus benefit-to-cost to determine how all users will finance the islandwide sewer system. Those currently on the system should be credited for previously paid impact charges factored at today's dollars.

As for grants, more time should be spent securing equal relief for all new sewer users.

In fact, that should be a primary focus of the council and a way the council could financially support its decision outside of assessments and tax dollars.