By Lee Khorll
Oct. 31, 2000 (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)—The Crystal City Council has overridden a veto by Mayor Grant Johnston and will apply for a five-year delay in installing a sewage- discharge pipe from the wastewater-treatment plant to be built near the Mississippi River.
The plant and the pipe are being required by the state Department of Natural Resources on the basis of the federal Clean Water Act being enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency. The plant is to be constructed on County Road near Plattin Creek in Crystal City.
Crystal City, along with Festus, needed to apply for a five-year extension of the time required for the pipe to be installed to allow the cities time to come up with the estimated $2.5 million to build the pipe and for a study on the effect of the project. The cost is to be shared by the two cities on a basis yet to be determined.
Alderman Hanley Cherry, 2nd Ward, said at the council's meeting last week that the state "will not OK the plant without the pipe. They will no longer allow us to discharge into Plattin Creek but are requiring us to go to the Mississippi River about a mile away."
When Cherry suggested that the council vote on applying for the delay, the mayor said, "I'm going to veto this if passed. I'm drawing the line. We have been bullied by DNR enough, and I won't stand for it. If we pushed the issue of not having the pipe, I believe a federal court would uphold us."
Alderman Tom Schilly, 2nd Ward, said, "Doing this will get the ball rolling. Until the sewer plant is up and running, DNR will not lift the no-tap order."
The Department of Natural Resources will not allow any more houses to be added to the sewer system until the plant is completed.
The American Canoe Association has filed suit in federal court to force the construction of the sewer plant.
The board voted unanimously to apply for the delay.
The application for the delay will be handled by the Festus- Crystal City Sewer Commission, the group that is overseeing construction of the plant for both cities.
The Festus City Council recently approved applying for the delay.
Festus Mayor Cathy Jokerst was at Crystal City's meeting, and when Johnston vetoed the application, she said, "Don't waste any more time. This (delay) is stifling our growth. This is not the time to get into a s pitting match. If you don't commit, we lose the levy. How much longer are you going to delay?"
The levy to protect the two cities from flooding is dependent upon construction of a new sewer plant.
After further discussion, the board voted unanimously to override the veto.
The project must be approved by voters in both cities.
In other business:
- The council authorized the purchase of a salt spreader from the Monroe Co. for $5,995 and a snowplow from Midwest Systems for $6,297. The spreader will fit all the city trucks and will give Crystal City three plows.
- Johnston made the following nominations that were approved by the council: Park Board - Amy Jo Cook, Janine Bell, Richard Laiben and Donnie Marshall Jr.; Police Commission - Karen Raines to take the place of Helen Church, who is being named member emeritus.
- The mayor said the annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony would be at 6 p.m. Nov. 24 in front of City Hall.
© 2000 St. Louis Post-Dispatch via Bell&Howell Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved.
