Blaine County's push to regulate septic tanks has gotten some residents so steamed that threats have been made.
County officials recently announced that they are in the process of developing new rules to manage the thousands of septic systems in the county.
During a meeting of the Blaine County Commission on Tuesday, County Commissioner Larry Schoen reported that a resident of the North Fork trailer park recently called the county water quality department and made a threatening statement. Schoen wouldn't characterize the nature of the threat or who it was lodged against, but did say the incident has been reported to the Blaine County Sheriff's Department.
He said the sheriff's office is investigating the call.
The threat apparently relates to a letter North Fork co-owner Kingsley Murphy sent out to the tenants of the trailer park after he learned of the county's new push. About 3,600 septic systems exist throughout the county, many of them in sensitive watersheds.
The new rules could take effect within a year as part of a pilot program that would target select septic systems in the county that are near watersheds the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has deemed environmentally impaired for one reason or another. Further down the road, the county might expand the program to all septic systems.
In his letter, Murphy claims that despite recent work to clean and improve the trailer park's septic systems, they would not meet the county's new specifications.
"The county would then close down the park in what looks like less than a year," he wrote.
Murphy then goes on to implore the North Fork tenants to contact the county to object to the new rules.
"I encourage you all to call, email, and attend commissioners' meetings on this subject to prevent them from passing this ordinance," he said.
But the County Commission approved a new wastewater management ordinance—stating that the new oversight rules be drafted—last November.
County officials are considering a task force comprised of private landowners and those involved in the business of managing septic systems. County officials hope to have the task force or citizens' advisory committee in place within a month.
Under rules being considered, violators of the inspection standards could face stiff penalties, including being unable to secure an annual discharge permit, which allows septic systems to operate.
But the county might still gradually phase in the new program, Schoen said Tuesday. He said county leaders realize the new regulatory burden may be a difficult thing to adhere to immediately.
"We're going to work with homeowners," he said. "The intent was to have a soft opening."
Schoen added that a recent letter sent out by the county to some homeowners that asks them to forward information indicating the "type, size, location and age" of their septic systems by Aug. 1 incorrectly implies that there will be a penalty for not doing so by the specified date. He publicly apologized for the incorrect information in the letter and said the county would follow up with a less "bureaucratic" letter to the same homeowners soon.
"There's no enforcement component to that at all," he said.
Many county homeowners are not aware of the specifications of their septic systems and the new requirements of the ordinance passed last November, Schoen said.
"That's expected. People lead busy lives," he said.
Schoen said the county does not intend to force people from their homes for failing to adhere to the new rules, including at the North Fork trailer park.
But Murphy may have other plans for his property. Blaine County Commissioner Tom Bowman said Murphy has been in contact with county officials in recent months inquiring about what ability he has to redevelop the property under existing county zoning.
Schoen said the citizens advisory committee would make recommendations on the formation of the new rules and how much leeway should be given to homeowners facing "hardship cases." He said one goal of the program is to possibly create a payment assistance program to help some of these homeowners.
"Not everyone is going to be able to afford several hundred dollars to do that," he said.
