By Alice Thomas, The Chronicle, 9/20/99
A plan for a regional wastewater plant may still be alive, but it doesn't appear the city of Chehalis will participate in the project.
At a Council of Governments meeting Saturday, Chehalis Public Works Director Jim Nichols presented cost estimates he developed, along with Dick Southworth, Centralia utilities director.
The numbers show it would cost Chehalis $38.8 million to build its own wastewater plant, and $33 million for the city of Centralia to do the same. A regional plant with capacity for Centralia, Chehalis and possibly Napavine would cost $52.8 million, plus conveyance.
Because Chehalis would have to convey, or ship, its wastewater further, the regional plant would mean a $49.7 million cost to Chehalis. Centralia could be a part of the regional plant for $33.7 million.
If Centralia and Chehalis were to split the costs down the middle, each would pay $41.7 million.
A big problem with the regional plan, said Nichols, is the lack of an agreement about who would pay for what. That is why Nichols and Southworth worked together to develop the numbers released Saturday.
The numbers are comparing ''apples to apples,'' he said, and are ''on a level playing field.''
According to Nichols, a non-regional plant is more cost-effective for Chehalis.
''I'm not saying it's not viable economically for Centralia,'' he told the gathering of Centralia, Chehalis, Morton, and Lewis County officials. ''And I'm not saying it won't happen.''
Richard Graham, Lewis County Commission chairman, noted the regional plan could become more possible if the number of ''players'' were higher.
''Well, it looks like it,'' Nichols said. ''If they want to help with Chehalis' conveyance.''
Joyce Barnes, Centralia mayor pro tem, said the city has talked with the state's Department of Ecology and is ready to go ahead with the regional plan.
''Yes, a Centralia-Chehalis plan may not be an option, but that doesn't mean the regional plan is dead,'' she said, adding if Chehalis needs to come in later, it may be more expensive than current figures indicate.
Centralia City Councilor Tim Browning said Centralia and Chehalis may be working on a different time schedule, and marching to a ''different set of drummers.''
''The No. 1 factor driving Centralia is (the current wastewater plant's) out of capacity, and we need to move forward for our current customer and anticipated growth,'' Browning said.
The city of Centralia is still committed to developing the regional plan, he added.
Earlier this summer, the city purchased 360 acres near the Lewis-Thurston county line. Known as the Flying T, a beef research facility, the land gives ''infinite possibilities,'' Browning said.
He said the area leaves room for 50 years of growth, and speculated the city may even be able to gain revenue from the project, noting the plant will be equipped to handle industrial and private septic systems.
''All we need is money,'' Browning said.
''Lots,'' added George McCarty, Centralia city councilor.
In other business, the officials
-- Discussed the status of the Chehalis Basin Reduction Project, a project Graham said could lose funding if Initiative 695 passes in November.
Initiative 695 would reduce the annual state vehicle licensing fee to $30 per vehicle, reduce the amount of money available to local government, and require voter approval for all tax increases.
The Department of Transportation recently awarded the county $300,000 for the project, but asked Graham how much he was planning to spend before the November election.
-- Learned the Highway 504 project, providing a direct roadway from Lewis County's U.S. Highway 12 to Mount St. Helens, will not lose funding if I-695 passes.
Supported by Lewis, Yakima, Skamania, Clark, and Cowlitz counties, the project received $300,000 from the state for a feasibility study. The counties also allocated money, with Lewis County contributing $8,000.
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Alice Thomas can be reached by e-mail at athomas@chronline.com or by calling 807-8232.
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