Health department reviews variance requests

County commissioners welcomed the new Public Health Department Nurse, Kjirsten Mercer, during the quarterly Board of Health meeting last week. The agenda included variance requests and public comments. Presiding officer Commissioner Dan Rowan, informed all present that the meetings are now being recorded and video taped. Also present were Cassandra Ward, executive assistant, and new board member Catherine DeWitt, Sanitarian Jeremy Leavitt, Tina Scott, Environmental Health Tech and Chris McComas, Land Services.

Of the two variance requests, the request for a well and to establish true well location by the Department of Environmental Quality on the Conklin 2-lot Minor was passed. “It meets the requirements for setbacks and will not contaminate the water,” Scott said. The request by a landowner to be permitted for a 200 gallon sewage holding tank on Pilgrim Creek Road was not passed. Scott said the owner has adequate space for a drain field and can pump the sewage tank every two years with no problems.

Plains residents who attended the meeting were asking for a Letter of Map Amendment, LOMA, so they can be permitted to use their existing septic system in the house they will be building. The system currently services their mobile home. Chris McComas said they would be granted the variance if they can connect to the existing water without polluting the waters in their low level acreage. The owners said their waste water would not increase as they will be building an equally sized home and usage would remain as it is now. McComas said their tank would need to be pumped and in good working condition. The request was tabled until the October meeting.

Public comments came from Paradise citizens who were concerned with the water and sewage board and sewer permits. One resident stated that the Paradise Water and Sewer Board has not been forthcoming with their meeting notices to the public. He asked if it would be possible to have meeting times posted on residents' bills. Commissioner Cox said that would be a good idea. He also reminded the resident that without sewers in Paradise there can be no sewer board. It was of the opinion of Scott that Paradise board members include the word Sewer in their title to avoid local government influence in their choices regarding an updated sewer system. Consequently, a specific resident of Paradise has been grappling with the issue of a noncompliant cesspool system since the January meeting. Scott had to involve the DEQ to resolve the issue. The resident spoke at the July meeting stating that he wants to resolve the problem and has no seepage or smell coming from his home’s existing cesspool and does not have three houses using it, as Scott stated in the January and July meetings. Furthermore, the resident said he would allow the Board of Health to go to his property and see for themselves what is actually going on. He stated that his residence cesspool is in better shape than some of the businesses in Paradise.

Scott explained that her main concern is the safety and health of the communities. Water contamination and seepage are issues that the DEQ can assist with. As long as people are working to be compliant and honest about their systems, Scott said she is willing to work with them.