October 21, 2011
Friday AM

I am in complete agreement with Mr. Stallings and Mr. Fry. A larger, intrusive, wasteful local government competing with private companies is just wrong. Their, Ketchikan Gateway Borough council, actions are competing with the private sector and being a government function very inefficient and a waste our taxpayer dollars. Other operations within the Borough are privatized; a Local sanitation company has a fee-based collection operation. So why not include the septic systems dealing with the pumped sludge.

When requiring a permit to install a private rural septic system the requirements and permit requirements come from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC). The same agency is responsible, ensuring the maintenance of the properly installed system, in short, enforcement of those requirements. However, the Ketchikan Gateway borough has taken it upon themselves to police what should be a private maintence operation, which could be the actions of a local company. The taxpayers are footing the cost for mailing notices, bookkeeping, collect fees, pumping the tanks, and dealing with the collected sludge. In other words enforcing private permit holders’ responsibility of an state government department, the ADEC, issued requirements.

I can remember, where the problem started, whereas the borough was contacted about several smelly systems because of the lack of maintenance and at the councils wishes they went into direct competition with what should have been a private operation to begin with. It is time to turn that operation over to a local company to deal with the problems. Those brought to notice for maintenance and provide a cost efficient routine service of the rural septic systems, as deemed necessary. Quit wasting taxpayers dollars by collecting “Sewer taxes” and turn the borough sewer boondoggle over to a company willing to take on the responsibility and be more cost effective for the consumers / owners.

Don Borders
Ketchikan, AK