Family Gets Time To Leave Rv Park Shutdown Of Illegal Sewer System Forces Residents Out

Faced Wednesday with the shutdown of an illegal sewer system at Fish Lake, the Steve Bagwell family prepared to turn a five-gallon bucket into a makeshift toilet.

Luckily, they didn’t have to.

Spokane County officials gave the five-member family and one other resident of the Myers RV park 10 more days to get out.

The other 20 residents at the park, located off Cheney-Spokane Road, already had moved in anticipation of the county’s promise to shut down the sewer system at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

The Bagwells not only don’t have the money to relocate, they said, but can’t scrounge up enough cash to hire someone with a trailer hitch to tow their 1958 Safeway trailer.

“Everybody says, ‘It’s the thought that counts,”’ said Bagwell, his frizzy hair dented by a baseball cap. “Well, everybody feels sorry for us, but nothing is countin’.”

Lawyers are lining up from all sides to join the Fish Lake fray.

The county struck a deal more than four years ago with property owner Tom “Tucker” Myers. The county agreed to operate and maintain the sewer system in exchange for the lake’s northern beach and lake access. Fish Lake is about 13 miles southwest of downtown Spokane.

Noting the sewage system never received permits, the Spokane County Health District stepped in three years ago and ordered the county parks department to shut it down, granting eight extensions along the way.

The county agreed Wednesday to shut down the sewer pump today about 7:45 a.m.

But when told two occupied mobile homes remained at Fish Lake, county commissioners agreed to let the families continue using their water hookups until Nov. 25.

In the meantime, the county would stop pumping the effluent into a leaky lagoon and would pay for a sewage-disposal service to pump out the system’s holding tank daily.

The Bagwells found a free lawyer who plans to sue Myers for the $3,000 relocation fee the attorney told the family they are entitled to by law. Tenants also are angry that Myers never told them about the sewer battle and the health district’s order that it be shut down.

Myers could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

County officials expect Myers to sue them because the sewer shutdown will affect his D.J.’s Restaurant and Lounge a few hundred yards away.

The Bagwells said Myers planned to shut off the park’s electricity later today.

“We’ve lived without power before,” said Bagwell’s wife, Pam.

, DataTimes