Small Town News

Camp Verde Sanitary District dissolves

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The Camp Verde Sanitary District has done its part to possibly come under the control of the Town of Camp Verde after voting to dissolve at its January meeting.

It was a required step toward putting the issue before voters.

Established years before the town was incorporated, the district and town have discussed bringing the area's sewers under town control for years so the town could have better control over them as a tool for economic development.

An effort was made to get the process rolling some years ago, but the district was dealing with a host of other problems at the time, and the idea was dropped by the Camp Verde Town Council.

Since that time, the district board turned things around and streamlined the organization, dealing with issues surrounding the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant and expanding sewer lines.

Meetings that once lasted hours filled with angry district residents have been going much more smoothly in recent years.

The Town Council started the process late last year by voting it would be open to what the district ultimately voted to do this month.

Now the Town Council and district board will have to approve calls for an election before the process can proceed, said Jan Grogan, the district's manager.

The issue would then be decided by voters in the town and the sanitary district.

"Now we've got to focus on getting the information out to the public," Grogan said. "There's a lot of misinformation out there."

The biggest point Grogan said the public needs to understand is the town taking over the district isn't really going to cost anyone any more money.

In fact, the property tax levy currently collected by the district would eventually go away, Grogan said, since the town doesn't collect property taxes.

The current district board members would serve out through the end of their elected terms as advisors, Grogan said.

The district's employees would become town employees, Grogan said, though likely in their own department.

If the measure were approved, the borders of the district would expand to match those of the town, and those not receiving sewer service would not have to pay for monthly operations.

Residents of the district would still be responsible for paying for the debt already incurred by the district.

Residents who would find themselves suddenly in an expanded sanitary district would not be responsible for paying the debt obtained by the district before a possible merger takes place.

Basically, people aren't going to find themselves suddenly paying extra money for something when they weren't in the district before.

"Now, we've got to focus on getting the information out to the public."

Jan Grogan

Camp Verde Sanitary District Manager

January Dissolution

The Camp Verde Sanitary District approved a measure that helps pave the way for, the Town of Camp Verde to control the district. Such an arrangement would have to be approved by voters.



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