by Evelyn Pyburn
The Lockwood Water and Sewer District (LWSD) Board voted unanimously to proceed with the process of constructing Phase 3 of the sewer. The next step is to impose special assessments in the Phase 3 sewer sub-district of the Lockwood sewer district for the purpose of repaying the loans the district will use to construct the sewer.
The action follows a protest period during which property owners in Phase 3 had an opportunity to stop the project if more than fifty percent sent a letter opposing it to the district board. Only 43 letters of protest were received while 391 protests were needed to defeat the project.
Those protesting did not include about ten property owners who attended the public hearing which preceded the board meeting held last Wednesday at the Lockwood Eileen Johnson Middle School. Most of those at the public hearing were opposed to building the sewer and most claimed they never received two notices that the district mailed to property owners and to those paying utility bills within Phase 3.
Claiming that they don’t read newspapers nor any other information sources, they property owners claimed that they had no chance to protest. And, they were not alone, said one woman. She said in talking to her neighbors they too said they did not receive notices so did not know to protest their opposition.