City council rejects Henderson Branch sewer extenstion

The Columbia City Council once more rejected a $4 million sewer extension west of town.

Council members, in the sixth hour of their meeting that started Tuesday night and extended into Wednesday morning, voted 4-3 against extending sewer along the Henderson Branch, and connecting it to two commercial properties in the Midway area.

Council members Karl Skala, Ian Thomas and Mayor Brian Treece were joined by First Ward councilman Clyde Ruffin in their opposition to the project. Ruffin, who was not present in May for the 3-3 vote that shot down the Henderson Branch plan then, said he was still concerned over continual sewage backups into people’s homes in central Columbia.

The project would have spent $4.3 million to build the sewer. The city would in turn annex three properties into the city, including the Midway Travel Plaza and Midway Arms. City staff said those connections, and future residential developments connecting to city sewer, would help pay for the costs of the project. Bonds authorized by voters in 2013 would help pay for most of it up front, with more than $1 million coming from sewer fees already collected.

Opponents also said the city would be on the hook for developing the areas west of town if annexed. Thomas said the city does not properly charge new development to build things like roads, and provide services like public safety to the area. Treece said he feared that Larry Potterfield, CEO of Midway Arms, would move his company out of Boone County, leaving the city to pay for the sewer to a business no longer in the area.

Council members Michael Trapp, Matt Pitzer and Betsy Peters supported the project. Those members cited the positive business impact, improvements to environmental health and following through on promises made to voters over projects bonds would fund. Trapp said that further development in the area of the Midway businesses could make it more difficult for the city to extend its boundaries to the west.