Our Viewpoint

The community of Paradise needs a community sewer system. The sewer district board agrees. The county commissioners and sanitarian agree. The state agreed to the point of ranking the sewer sytem as a top priority for funding.

As you drive through Paradise, the "No Sewer" and "No Levy" signs are still prominent, with residents expressing their distaste for the project. More than 85% of the funding for the $5.8 million project has been secured with various grants. Last month, the Sanders County Commissioners offered to take on the majority of the debt that would have been left for the project. Last week, the sewer board voted against it and rejected the handout from the county. Without the remaining funding, the sewer district could lose their grant funding. That's a big chunk of change that will go to some other project.

Paradise needs a community sewer system, but it appears the planned project may be sinking. The county, to my knowledge, has never offered such a generous amount of money for a specific project that was not a county project. The sewer project will benefit the residents of Paradise, but it doesn't mean much to residents in other parts of the county. There are plenty of roads and other infrastructure needs throughout the county, but the commissioners believed in the project enough to pledge $550,000 to the community to ensure the project was completed.

It's unfortunate the board decided not to take the county money. There are probably dozens of other groups who would have jumped at the chance for that kind of funding.

­ — Annie Wooden