2018 Letter to Customers

Letter to Customers 2018 PDF format

The board discussed the current billing rates, and based on our budget for the next year, it was determined
that there will be about a 5% increase in the user fees for 2018. The 1.0 User Fee for gravity line customers
was increased to $77.25 quarterly and the grinder pump customers was increased to $99.25 quarterly.

a) The original special assessments of 30 years ago have all finally been collected. As a result there will be no special assessment income source to the Bell Sanitary District.

b) We will need to do substantial and costly repairs to our lagoons to insure their integrity.

c) A containment area, in the event of any leakage or spills from the lagoons, is being planned.
There continues to be a grease problem in both the lift stations and the grinder pumps, which requires annual
servicing and can be reduced or eliminated. We cannot allow liquid or solid animal or vegetable fat into the
collection system. We recommend that they be allowed to harden and disposed of with the garbage.
There are also products on the market that are “flushable”. They cannot be used in our collection system and
do cause problems and pump failures. They include paper towels, baby wipes and diapers, and “disposable”
cleaning wipes. Please do not flush them into the collection system as you will be billed for the repair. If you
have any questions please call a representative listed on the next page.
The board will again allow a discount if the 2018 charges are paid in full by January 31, 2018. Please
mail the prepayment to:

Bell Sanitary District #1 – PO Box 146 – Cornucopia, WI 54827-0146

If your quarterly billing will be $77.25, we will allow a $10.00 discount if paid by January 31, 2018. So you
would pre pay $299.00. This price is for Gravity Line and Other Users that own their own grinder pump.
If your quarterly billing will be $99.25, we will allow a $10.00 discount if paid by January 31, 2018. So you
would pre pay $387.00. This price is for Grinder Pump Customers.
Please remember to pay the balance due on the statement provided (if any) as well as the amount for the
prepayment. If you are not sure, please contact me.

The statement included with this note discloses all the activity in your account for 2017 and has the 4th quarter
billing (if applicable) included. If you wish to prepay your 2018 user fee, you must pay any amount due on the
statement as well.

(It is reported on the bottom of the statement as AMOUNT DUE)
If you have any questions please call Mark Ehlers – Business Manager – Bell Sanitary District #1

The board wishes to remind all users that any blockage of the collection system within the property lines is the
responsibility of the property owner. Any obstruction within the collection system that can be identified as
originating from any user will be the responsibility of that user. The service rate for 2018 is $65.00 per hour – 1
hour minimum and $45.00 per hour thereafter until the repair has been completed.
If your system is not working properly, contact our operator, Kris Johnson, for assistance and advice. Any
mechanical or electrical malfunction, resulting from permitted use, will normally be the responsibility of the Bell
Sanitary District #1. If you have any questions please call.
All work on the collection system must be monitored by our operation’s staff and repairs must be made
promptly. For grinder pump users, we recommend that you leave the power to the grinder pump installation
on, for maintenance purposes. For maintenance information regarding your specific system, please contact
the Operator.
The capacity of the sanitary district’s collection system remains adequate to meet the current needs of the
district users, but we will need to insure that only allowable waste water enters our lagoon system. Future
federal and State of Wisconsin regulations may require our lagoon site to have additional capacity. The board
is planning for this eventuality and has purchased additional land, monitors governmental grants and funding
opportunities, and consults with engineers and engineering firms regarding our options and estimated costs.
We will keep you informed.
We will be very vigilant, this year, looking for well overflows and floor drains that are currently draining into the
collection system. These types of drains are not allowed to enter the collection system. The owner must
repair these substandard situations or the board can take action, including having the repairs made,
fines and placing them, if not paid, on the property tax bill, with interest.
The board has finalized the modification and changes to the User Fee Ordinance #1. A copy will soon be
available by request or on our website, www.bellsanitary.org.
It is our intention to have a link on the Town of Bell Website to access the Bell Sanitary District #1 website
where information will be available for users. (Such as the User Fee Ordinance and other general information)

If you have any questions, please contact Mark Ehlers, Business Manager.

Our email address is
[email protected].

Names and Numbers:
Larry Chernoff – District President 715-742-3338
Jesse Kaseno – Commissioner 715-742-3422
Frank Roman – Commissioner 715-742-3445
Kris Johnson – Operator 715-742-3352
Mark Ehlers – Business Manager 715-742-3924
Mark Lutz – Maintenance 763-442-0427
William Krause – Maintenance 507-251-3859

The Bell Sanitary District #1 lost a valuable employee, trainer and friend this past year. Robert “Butch”
Kyllonen passed on and will be sorely missed.

In addition, Don Frey, long time board commissioner and previous president of the Bell Sanitary District #1 left
the board when he and June moved to Washburn. We wish him and June all the best in their new home.
We welcome Jesse Kaseno to the board. As a previous sanitary district operator and currently a licensed
electrician, he brings much knowledge of our collection system and expertise to the board.
Sincerely – Mark Ehlers – Business Manager
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