Hayden Lake Sewer District

Mr. Geoff Harvey, President of the Hayden Lake Watershed Association is going to make a presentation to the Hayden Lake Sewer District  board concerning a change of the sewer district’s purpose in 2017.  Prior to that time, the district was legally defined as the Hayden Lake Recreational Sewer District .  This legally defines that a primary purpose for the creation and existence of the sewer district is for the protection of an invaluable natural resource.  (In this case it is Hayden Lake.)  For many years, considerations for the protection of the water quality of Hayden Lake were part of the discussion when it came to the approval of additional sewer taps.

In 2017, The name and charter of the district were changed with very little notice or attention to the ramifications of such a change.  Although it has been explained to us that this was done primarily for the convenience of staff that would no longer have to conduct special elections, and that those elections could be done through the county voting process, AND EFFECTIVELY DISENFRANCHISING ALL THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE IN KOOTENAI COUNTY. Many many of us have been paying sewer fees for years, and no longer have a say on who is on the sewer board (or what their positions are on expansion of the district.)

Expansion of sewer services is of particular concern to those of us wanting to have a say in the future of the Lancaster corridor, and for protecting Hayden Lake from the pollution of high density and commercial developments.  As it is now legally defined, the Hayden Lake Sewer District has no requirement to take impacts to the lake into consideration when evaluating proposals for development.  Our high level of concern for the future (and possible expansions) of the sewer district needs to be expressed, so I urge you to become part of the process. 

You may observe the procedures of the sewer board discussion by signing into their meeting on the zoom platform.   Here is the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/891 7915 8194.  The meeting starts at 4 p.m. Thank you in advance for your participation!  

Jan Wilkins, Vice President of the Hayden Lake Watershed Association