Press Release:

Crawfordville, Florida –

At the February 16, 2010 Board Meeting, the Wakulla County Board of County Commissioners approved financing agreements to help mitigate the financial burden associated with the mandatory sewer connections.

The County adopted the Comprehensive Sewer Ordinance in May 2009 which generally governs the extension of County sewer service, the County sewer system, County sewer rates, fees and charges, pretreatment requirements, and wastewater discharge permits. In addition, to comply with the Sewer Ordinance, the County mailed letters in early January 2010 notifying required property owners of their mandatory connection within 365 days. In an effort to assist the property owners with the substantial costs associated with the connection, the Board is authorizing the following discounted rates for those who apply connection no later than the dates indicated below:

75% discount if applied by July 1, 2010
50% discount if applied by October 1, 2010
25% discount if applied by January 1, 2011

In addition, the Housing Division is providing assistance to eligible low income families through the State Housing Initiative Partnership Program (SHIP). Furthermore and most recently, the Board approved two financing options available to affected property owners:

Option #1 grants the property owner to prepay the connection fees in equal monthly installments over a period not to exceed two years.
Option #2 is for hardship cases and authorizes paying the connection fee on their monthly utility bill over a ten year period upon proper showing proof of a hardship.

The County will finance the connection fees over the two or ten year period at the same percent simple interest per annum that the County is paying on its SRF loan, plus administration costs. “The County is aware of the financial burden to residents and businesses required to connect to sewer and is significantly striving to help out wherever possible”, said Commissioner Howard Kessler.

For additional information related to this story, including forms, please visit our website (www.mywakulla.com) or contact Nannette Watts at the ESG Public Works Office, 926-7616.