Sewer issues strain Bellevue, Hailey relationship

The neighborly relationship between Hailey and Bellevue appears to be dissipating as the cities debate the issues of Hailey’s future sewer plant, and the inevitable effluent discharge into the Big Wood River.

"I feel you don’t respect anything we say; there’s the attitude that we’re ‘just Bellevue,’" said Bellevue Mayor Monte Brothwell at the Hailey City Council meeting Monday night, where he expressed his concerns and frustrations.

Hailey is attempting to procure an easement with private property owners to flow its effluent from the future Woodside Wastewater Treatment Plant into the river near Bellevue city limits. One option would discharge the effluent 800 yards north of Bellevue’s eight-acre park.

Hailey is asking permission of several property owners to assess the easement cost on their property; once the costs are estimated the council will choose the best option.

Hailey Mayor Brad Siemer welcomed Brothwell to the meeting with the question.

"What are you accusing us of?" asked Siemer, referring to Brothwell’s assertion that Hailey engineers inflated the estimated costs of pumping the effluent north to the current discharge point near the Riverside plant.

Brothwell said he saw discrepancies in the proposed costs, but couldn’t accurately investigate the numbers without knowing the complete plant design plans.

"I don’t haphazardly throw out numbers," he said.

"The numbers are a mute issue. We could dispute $100,000 one way or another," said Hailey water and wastewater superintendent Ray Hyde the next morning. "The issue is rooted in perception, not dollars. It’s what we call the yuck factor in this business."

Hyde said as a professional and as a parent he felt comfortable with the effluent in the river.

Also at the meeting from Bellevue were council members Joanna Ehrmantraut, Vivian Ivie and Steve Fairbrother, Planning and Zoning Administrator Diane Shay, City Clerk Janice Moroni and city attorney Jim Phillips.

Moroni said she thought Siemer was not straight forward when he presented his plans.

"The way you handled it is the political issue," Moroni told Siemer. "The effluent’s not good enough for your ball park, but it’s good enough for my kids to swim in," she said.

Ehrmantraut asked the Hailey council for its individual opinions. Every member was quick to say they appreciated Bellevue’s concerns, but felt there was no wrongful intent.