Jerome Closer To “Judicial Review” For Waste Plant Upgrade

A public hearing was held in Jerome this week to get input on how Jerome residents feel about their town taking on a long-term debt without voter approval.  City officials want to ask  for judicial confirmation which would allow the city to spend an estimated $3.25-million dollars to upgrade the wastewater system.  The EPA recently told city officials that the improvements need to be made or the city could face daily fines of over $37,000 dollars.  Approval from a judge would allow the city to take on the long-term debt by bypassing voters.  The Jerome City Council plans to vote on the proposal at its next regular meeting on Sept. 6^th.  Only one person spoke against the proposal at the hearing.  City officials have been negotiating with three major cheese plants that also use the wastewater treatment system for help in paying for the upgrade.