The biggest story in Senoia in 1999 was the beginning of the municipal sewer system for the town.

After more than two years of negotiations and countless years of study, the city of Senoia finally started work on building its municipal sewerage system.

Public works director Leonard Thompson explained that work begun on the first phase of the system on Coweta Street near the railroad tracks late this fall.

The final piece of Senoia's complex sewage puzzle occurred earlier this fall when the city agreed to purchase the Southern Mills wastewater treatment plant for $750,000.

“I feel good about this. I think this is the best decision we could have made,” said Mayor Joan Trammell.

The city will pay Southern Mills $500,000 before Dec. 31, and the final payment of $250,000 is due by Aug. 31, 2000. Along with the wastewater treatment facility, the town is purchasing more than 100 acres from the company, which the mayor said could eventually be harvested for timber.

Both Trammell and Southern Mills officials said the city is getting an excellent deal. A recent appraisal put the value of the treatment plant and land at $1.5 million.

“We're getting everything for just what the land is worth,” Trammell said.

Southern Mills vice president of manufacturing Steve Mitchell said he wanted the citizens to know the company was basically donating more than $800,000 to the city, based on the appraisal.

As part of the agreement, the city agreed that water and sewer rates charged to Southern Mills would not exceed residential water and sewer rates for a 20-year period and the company will continue to operate the treatment plant until the city makes its final payment next August.

The first stage of the system will provide sewerage to the city's lower income residents, along with the central business area.

The second phase will run lines to the rest of the city and the new subdivisions that are sprouting up through town.

The total cost of both phases is $3.3 million and the estimated time for sewering the whole city is approximately three years.

The city plans to pay for the system through a combination of special local option sales taxes, grants and low interest loans.

The city already has a $500,000 grant from the state Department of Community Affairs to help pay for providing sewerage to the city's low income residents.

The other big news in the city this year was the completion of the reworking of the city's zon codes.

City officials expect a big wave of growth to start moving into the area and wanted to be sure the city's zoning regulations will be able to protect the city.

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