Jackson area voters made their voice heard on the future of their combined waterworks and sewer system. Six precincts in Cape Girardeau County saw the question on their ballot and approved the $10.1 million revenue bond to 'acquire, construct, extend and improve' their city's 33-year-old water infrastructure, as recommended by the Board of Aldermen.
A total of 2,369 ballots were tallied in the six precincts, with just over 78%—or 1,857 voting 'YES' on the bond issue, and over 21%—512 declining the move.
The City of Jackson Board of Aldermen agreed the 33-year-old infrastructure was in need urgent replacement. If the equipment fails, it would cost Jackson more money to repair, than it would replace the aging system and components.
To pay for this replacement, the borrowed money would be paid with a 10% rate increase in 2023, which equals an average of $3.15 per month per household. This revenue bond or loan is considered to be the least expensive method to pay for sewer improvements, allowing costs to be spread out over 20 years.
Kent Peetz, the Director of Public Works, believes the sooner the parts are replaced, the better. He says by doing this as soon as possible, they'll be able to take their time and get the best possible equipment.
"By doing all the projects now, you get more reliable equipment and because if something fails and you have to do it under emergency circumstances, guess what happens to the price, right?"
Now that the 'yes' vote was heard, the move to borrow $10.1 million in a revenue bond for the purpose of 'acquiring, constructing, extending, and improving' the combined waterworks and sewer system will move forward to the next step.
