Wastewater staff asked the board to amend the county’s 2016 street restoration pilot (a $500,000 set-aside) so that single-family residential properties currently on septic that connect to public sewer could be reimbursed for public-street restoration costs. Staff also recommended adding an inflation escalator to the existing $5,000 cap using the Engineering News-Record construction cost index and conducting an annual review.

Presenters said about 70 properties have used the fund to date and $348,240 has been expended, leaving roughly $150,000 in the original allocation. Staff explained the first inflation adjustment would be calculated from 2016 forward because of significant construction-cost increases in recent years; subsequent annual adjustments would be smaller. Commissioners asked whether the program remains a pilot after 10 years and how future funding would be provided; staff said once the set-aside is expended the board would consider including the program in the regular budget.

The amendment was placed on the action agenda for Dec. 11.