Lebanon land buy first step toward $1 million sewer upgrade

Lebanon City Council has been asked to approve the purchase of almost an acre of land for a new $1 million pump station.

Tonight, the council is expected to consider the land acquisition, the first step toward spending an estimated $1 million for a new pump station to serve undeveloped land at and around the Lebanon Commerce Park, as well as existing demand for sanitary sewer service.

“Certainly sewer capacity is important for industrial development,” Joe Kramer, a senior vice president for Henkle Schueler and the Schueler Group said Monday.

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The pump station would be built with property taxes set aside for infrastructure expenses in the commerce park, off I-71.

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The land would be purchased from a subsidiary of Henkle-Schueler, the company developing the industrial park off Kingsview Dr., just west of I-71.

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The new larger pump would replace one that has been unable to keep up with demand when cooling towers in the Cyrus One facility in the industrial park are maintained, according to Deputy City Manager Scott Brunka.

In a memo to council, Brunka said the new pump station was needed “to ensure that the pump station has adequate capacity to meet existing demand, as well as industrial business growth in the area.”

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Brunka urged the council to back replacing the existing pump station, rather than upgrading the existing pump, because replacement would be less costly.

Also Brunka indicated the new pump station would work better with a sewer main to be built on Kingsview Ave., leaving the city ready to provide service to “additional undeveloped property,” Brunka said in the memo.

The city would pay Wild Turkey Farms, a group of shareholders represented by Henkle Schueler, $16,800 for .8 acres. By approving the land purchase on the first reading, the city would also “reduce the potential for overflows” if the current lift station is unable to handle flows.

The council is expected to discuss the plan with Brunka during a work session scheduled to begin at 7tonight.

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