El Paso County’s Department of Transportation has been working with the Highway Advisory Commission to identify cost effective solutions to maintaining and improving stormwater drainage facilities.After six months of work, a task force presented its recommendations to the commissioners at a work session in January.Four options were recommended: Create a stormwater enterprise, which would assess a fee to property owners. Delay the decision. Instruct staff that the board is no longer interested in pursuing a stormwater enterprise. Put the matter to a vote in the unincorporated county.County commissioners preferred the fourth option, and asked staff and the task force to explore funding options and the possibility of placing the issue on the November 2007 ballot. Costs to residents would be based on impervious surface areas.If a revenue source is created, it would primarily provide maintenance of current drainage and stormwater systems and reconstruction of deteriorating structures. The current estimated cost of the drainage and stormwater backlog needs is $66,080,000.”There’s no disagreement that improvements and failing systems must be addressed, but the question is how we fund those needs,” said commission chairwoman Sallie Clark. “While new development pays for new infrastructure, it does not address the continued maintenance and deterioration problems in our older areas. Our county must face the ongoing demands and current deficiencies on our stormwater, drainage and flood control systems now to ensure a safe environment for our residents in the future.”
