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The Park County Commissioners are putting their money where their mouth is in regards to handing off septage for county residents to Cody. The city of Cody plans to expand its sewer …
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The Park County Commissioners are putting their money where their mouth is in regards to handing off septage for county residents to Cody. The city of Cody plans to expand its sewer lagoon facility to be able to accept the waste from rural resident septic systems.
Recently the county commissioners unanimously agreed to commit $2 million in county ARPA funds and utilize a matching grant from the State Loan and Investment Board to help pay for the project.
The money will come out of the $12 million pot of federal funds the county has so far received half of.
The funds will allow the city to be able to upgrade to accept county sewage and enable the county to get out of the business of providing a dumping spot for the companies who deal with private septage.
“This is an investment into the county,” Commissioner Scott Mangold said. “Give the poop to the City of Cody. We're the only county in the state that does something like this, so it's good to pass this on.”
The county lagoons have been in operation on Rocky Road just outside Cody for at least 50 years and commissioners were faced with either improving the lagoons or just “walking away,” Commissioner Lloyd Thiel said.
“I believe this is a good way for the future, we're going to have to either walk away or transfer the service over. And it will open up in the future a chance to get all that money back in the land.”
The ponds will ultimately be self-sustaining, funded by fees charged to the haulers (and, in turn, their customers) who use the city’s facility. But first, Cody’s plant must be modified to accommodate septage, and that’s going to cost an estimated $4 million. Park County initially asked for SLIB to pick up 74% of the start-up cost ($2.96 million), but after that request was rejected last fall, the commission suggested splitting the project with the state 50-50.
That the county “added some skin to the game” helped win over auditor Kristi Racines, who supported the $2 million in funding during the SLIB Board meeting, which Commissioner Lee Livingston attended.
— CJ Baker contributed reporting
