By Jonathan Nolte
Staff Writer

The city of Boerne hosted a public forum to discuss wastewater treatment expansion on April 17 at the Boerne Convention and Community Center.

Boerne Mayor Dan Heckler said he is concerned about the effects that this decision will have on future generations in Boerne.

“We need to think about the future, not just current needs,” he said.

Twenty members of city staff and engineers were present to discuss options, possible sites, costs and facilities for the new project. Council members strolled the room, speaking with the 65 residents who attended.

The large conference room was converted into a kind of “science fair” populated with stations featuring colorful posters, maps and charts attended by engineers and city officials to explain them.

Stations included treatment technologies, plant sites and cost, while a projector flashed an informative slide show of additional information. Boerne Communications Coordinator Pam Bransford said the entire presentation cost the city about $8,000.

The council must decide on May 13 whether to proceed with the purchase of a 12.5-acre tract of land at 41 Old San Antonio known as “Site II” for the wastewater treatment plant.

The vote will take place shortly after the May 10 election, but any changes that result from that election will not take effect until the following council meeting. The current council line-up will make the decision on the plant.

Property owners near the proposed Site II attended the forum to share their concerns about property devaluation that may result from the construction of a wastewater treatment plant in their area. They said they would rather see the current site expanded.

Richard Heard, who owns property near proposed Site II, said he is concerned that the city will choose to build near his property regardless of the neighbors’ concerns and that the whole process of exploring other options is mere whitewash.

BISD Project Bond Manager and council hopeful Jeff Haberstroh said that the city must balance environmental concerns with ratepayers’ concerns. He hopes that the decision will make everyone happy and allow for future expansion.

Although he will not be able to vote in the May 13 meeting if elected, he says he favors the construction of a new plant on Site II.

Bransford said that the city would soon post on it’s Web site, www.ci.boerne.tx.us, all of the materials presented at the forum, including staff responses to concerns left in the question box.