Proposal for sewer line advances
Posted 8/15/02

By JOEL STOTTRUP
Princeton Union-Eagle

Princeton Mayor Brian Humphrey was outnumbered in his viewpoint at a meeting in Long Siding Wednesday, July 10, about a proposal to run a sewer main from the northern edge of Baldwin Township and through Princeton Township to the city of Milaca.

But the rest of the people at the meeting that included representatives of the townships of Baldwin and Princeton, and the cities of Pease and Milaca, moved ahead with the proposal that began in Princeton Township.

About a year ago, according to Princeton Township Board chairman Greg Anderson, supervisors on his board were discussing how the township could provide municipal-type sewage collection for the townshipís commercial zone along both sides of Highway 169.

Anderson said Monday, July 15, that commercial developments, especially big ones that the township would like to attract such as K Mart, want municipal-type sewage hookups. Princeton Township officers also knew that housing developer Jerry Smith wanted such sewer service to make possible a 500-unit housing development on the northern edge of Baldwin Township and didnít want to be in city limits, Anderson continued.

Then a couple of months later Milaca notified Princeton Township that it would be interested in a sewer main that would run from the northern edge of Baldwin, or southern edge of Princeton Township, up to Milaca to empty into a Milaca sewage facility.

Milaca has a lagoon system now that it has to replace in six years and eventually it could put a state of the art facility partway between Milaca and Princeton Township and have sewage between the two areas end up there, Anderson said.

Milaca contracted to have a generalized study to determine if having a pressured sewer main run from Baldwin to Milaca was feasible and the study shows it is, according to Anderson. So now all of the entities named but the city of Princeton will share in getting a more in-depth study, he said.

It is estimated the study will cost $25,000 (originally it was thought the study would cost $40,000). According to Milaca City Manager Greg Lerud a grant has been submitted to the Initiative Foundation.

So far the involved parties are looking at 14 miles of a pressurized 10-inch main, said Anderson. He added that Pease is very interested in the possibilities because of development interest there.

Mayor Humphrey mentioned the Long Siding meeting during the Thursday, July 11, city council meeting. He told fellow council members that he had told the group meeting in Long Siding that the council is committed to continue its plan to triple the capacity of the cityís wastewater treatment plant.

Humphrey said after the council meeting that one thing he didnít tell the group at Long Siding was that he is not in favor of large commercial developments when they are not supporting things such as parks and libraries.

On Monday, July 15, Anderson reiterated what he had said early this summer ñ that he thinks if the city and the other parties who were at the meeting in Long Siding went into a joint sewer venture it would reduce the planned expansion of the cityís wastewater plant at a cost of about $12 million.

Anderson added that some people at the meeting were from the Chisago Lakes area which had run a joint sewer project and were now talking about expanding the system.

Editorís note: Mille Lacs County Times reporter Dawn Slade contributed to this story.