Bixby residents are looking to the city to deal with a smelly situation that’s developed in one neighborhood.
The neighborhood is fairly new, and so are many residents who live there. But, they say, in that short amount of time a lagoon has been emitting the smell of human waste causing it waft in and out of their homes.
“It’s kind of embarrassing,” said resident Jeremy Lott.
Thankfully the city says they expect the lagoon to be closed but the question many are curious about is when will the project be completed?
“With our current schedule, we expect a reasonable date sometime in 2019,” said city manager Jared Cottle.
Cottle says the plans for a $20 million mechanical plant are in the works, but in order to meet DEQ standards, construction could take years. Many homeowners, including Lott, say that feels like a lifetime.
“We’re trying to figure out, hey, can we get this moved along sooner for the quality of life for the residents? And if so, myself and others would try to get that done,” Lott said.
But the mechanical plant project is a massive undertaking – perhaps one of the biggest Bixby has ever tackled. Cottle says it's going to take time.
“We have to be realistic and we don't want to create unrealistic expectations,” he said. “We have to work with state agencies, we have to work with federal agencies, and they all have time frames built into things when they're submitted.”
Residents are still hoping for a miracle that'll come sooner than expected.
“We want the city to continue to grow and if this helps, then we're for it,” said Lott.
The Bixby City Council is expected to discuss the issue in April during a regular meeting. There isn’t a definite statement on what will happen, but Cottle hopes the project won't be pushed back in the future.
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