The Pike Creek Reorganized Common Sewer District (the District) was formed by a vote of the residents within the initial boundaries in April of 1997. The issue to create the District was placed on a special ballot by the Butler County Circuit Court at the request of the Butler County Commission. The District was established as a common sewer district under Chapter 204 of the Revised Statutes of the State of Missouri. The District has continuing authority over all of the area within its boundaries, as they may be amended from time to time. All registered voters within the District’s boundaries vote on District ballot issues. A five member Board of Trustees is elected by registered voters in the District, with each Trustee elected to a five year term. The terms are staggered such that one Trustee is elected in April each year.
Prior to the District’s formation, wastewater treatment systems serving many subdivisions in the area were operated and maintained by individuals or homeowner associations. Often these systems were not monitored by a licensed and trained operator and failed to meet Missouri water quality standards. The District assumed ownership of one of these systems, serving Batson Mini-Farms, in 1999.
A bond issue of $6 million was put to the voters of Butler County to provide a local match. The bond issue passed. The District applied for and received Federal and State grant dollars to construct the sewer system in 1999. As a result, the District entered into three separate Phases of construction to begin building the sewer system. Phase 1 was started in 2000 and completed in 2002. Phase 2 was completed in 2003. Phase 3 was completed in 2011. At the end of Phase 3, the District no longer had any bonding capacity. The District placed a $5,000,000.00 bond issue before the residents in November, 2007 and April, 2008. These bond issues failed, leaving future construction of the sewer system in doubt.
In 2012, the District petitioned the Butler County Circuit Court to allow it to reorganize. After notice and a public hearing, the Court signed a Judgment allowing the District to reorganize. As a reorganized common sewer district, the District may issue revenue bonds to pay for construction of the sewer system upon a majority vote of the District’s Board of Trustees. This will allow the District to grow in targeted areas as the need arises.
In 2013, the District met with elected officials from the City of Poplar Bluff to discuss how best to provide sewer services to those areas immediately around the then existing city limits. These discussions resulted in an agreement between the two entities and the District petitioned the Butler County Circuit Court for an order removing some property from the District’s boundaries (primarily around the Eight Points development) and adding a large area to the District south and east of the existing boundaries.