Don't overregulate, commissioner warns
Vincent: Owners fix septic systems properly without training mandate
By DAVID LOWE Staff Writer

County commissioners may require homeowners to receive training before they perform maintenance on aerobic septic systems.

House Bill 2482, signed into law Aug. 19 by Gov. Rick Perry, lets homeowners maintain their own systems without receiving training or having to report to county officials -- unless counties enact training requirements or prohibit service by property owners.

Ren Berra, a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality representative, recommended commissioners require homeowners to receive maintenance training from their septic installer before attempting to fix systems themselves. Berra also recommended requiring routine tests and reports on systems' functionality, both from homeowners and septic installation companies.

Lampasas County commissioners tabled consideration of training requirements, but not before debating whether the county government should impose them.

Precinct 1 Commissioner Robert Vincent said Lampasas County may not need to require the training, as he has not heard of many systems failing or causing sanitation problems.

"I'd like some facts on how many of these systems out here have failed or require additional inspections," he said. "I'm not one for imposing more rules and regulations on people if we don't need to."

Berra compared unregulated homeowner maintenance to letting drivers perform their own safety inspections on vehicles. Commissioners need to prevent homeowners from becoming lax in maintenance, he said, as systems not properly tested and repaired can spray raw sewage on neighbors' property.

"It becomes a health and safety issue," said Berra. "Whenever a homeowner elects not to maintain, there's no oversight."

Vincent, whose home uses an aerobic system, said most homeowners already keep their systems running properly without training or registering with the county.

"I just know from my own experience if I have the slightest problem I'm immediately on the phone with the manufacturer saying, 'This is what I have. How can we fix it?'" Vincent said. "That's something I'm doing on my own without somebody telling me I have to, because it's my yard, and it's my grandkids playing out there. Most people are like that," he added. "It's the few who are not."

F.A. Taylor, county on-site septic systems inspector, said he has not heard many complaints of malfunctioning or unsanitary systems, but he said some county residents may not be reporting problems.

More homeowners are installing aerobic systems as the county grows, he said, and a training requirement for property owners might prevent future problems, Taylor added.

"We're not trying to take away anybody's ability to do their own maintenance," the inspector said. "We just need some accountabil ity."

Vincent said professional maintenance workers often cannot come to fix a faulty system immediately. Homeowners keep the systems repaired on their own, he said -- and usually do so quickly to eliminate odors -- even if they are not required to receive training or contract with professional sewage repair providers. "I don't think it will take long for people to notice," Vincent said. "I'm all for, 'Let's make sure the people are informed and are following the law.' I'm not for, 'Let's put more laws on people.'"

Also, the court tabled a proposed contract extension with Tyco/Simplex Grinnel Fire & Security for service at the courthouse and the Lampasas County Office Building. The current three-year contract ends Nov. 11.

Commissioners and County Auditor Jack Clark said the security company failed to notice or correct problems with the courthouse sprinkler system. Sprinkler heads have been painted, County Judge Wayne Boultinghouse said, and they now violate safety codes.

"Y'all had a three-year contract," Clark told Tyco/Simplex Grinnel representatives. "Believe me, nobody came in and did inspections from year one to year three. It's as if you charged me $4,700 and never came out here."

Company officials said Tyco/ Simplex Grinnel could fix the sprinkler system and remove the $500 charge Clark received for 50 minutes of service on a malfunctioning alarm at the county office building. The service should not have cost the county, they said, as the current contract covers labor costs.

The security company's proposed contract extension, which the court will consider at its next meeting, totals $5,438. The cost could increase $200 to $300 if commissioners decide to pay for aroundthe clock fire alarm coverage -- which now applies just to the county office building -- at the courthouse. The proposed contract covers alarm service at the courthouse from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

The court voted 4-0, with Precinct 3 Commissioner Lowell Ivey absent, to pay county employees at the rate in which the majority of work days fall if a pay period spans two fiscal years. If six of 10 work days fall in a new fiscal year when a pay increase takes effect, for example, workers will be paid as if all 10 days were under the new budget.

The court agreed to the change because County Treasurer Nelda Deriso said she and her staff tried to adjust each paycheck for a recent pay period that fell mostly under the 2006-07 fiscal year but included one day in the 2007-08 budget year. Some workers argued the county underpaid them, but Ms. Deriso said some of the complaints arose over discrepancies of less than a quarter.

"This is ridiculous to get into this discussion," Clark said. "I'm tired of people coming in and griping at me for 11 cents and her for 6 cents."

Commissioners also authorized GrantWorks to prepare an application for Texas Community Development Block Grant assistance under the Disaster Relief Fund.