A mysterious letter has some homeowners in Manistee upset about a proposed sewer project.
The letter was written to look like it came from the four clerks from the Village of Bear Lake and the Townships of Bear Lake, Onekama and Pleasanton.
The four municipalities are part of the Two Lakes Collaborative Sewer Authority, a group looking into a proposed sewer project for the area.
Onekama Township Supervisor David Meister said they’re still doing damage control after the fake letters were sent out about two weeks ago.
“We’ve wasted about a week and a half of time answering questions or people chastising us for sending that out. We actually put something in the assessment notices that we mailed out to everyone that said that was not authored by the clerk and please disregard,” said Meister.
Meister said they don’t know who’s behind the letter but the opposition to the proposed sewer project is getting bigger, thanks to the letter.
Meister said that’s unfair. They are hoping to fund 75% of the project, leaving the cost to people at $60 million.
“No one on the board personally has anything to gain from this. It’s what the taxpayers request us to do. Now, the cost is basically almost doubled since we started this project. (It) was 34 million, I think originally, and now we’re pushing 60 because of COVID inflation. It’s not the cost to build it today. They have to guess what the costs are going to be three and a half years,” said Meister.
Bear Lake resident Brian Devilling has been against the project even before the fake letter was sent.
Devilling said even with grants, $60 million is still too much.
“If you get a grant up to 75%. It only affects construction costs, not ongoing fees. So even with a grant, we’re talking about $60,000 per family over the 40 years. It’s just way more than families in these villages and townships can afford,” said Devilling.
