Idyllic town faces economic disaster due to disgusting obstacle
A prosperous and idyllic Montana town is at the brink of economic ruin due to its reluctance to build a centralized sewer system.
Workers living in Seeley Lake, an unincorporated community in Missoula County, are being forced to leave the area after officials have been unable to replace the town's septic system.
Due to a lack of a proper sewage system, developers have been unable to build affordable housing - forcing people to move away.
As a result, Seeley Lake's biggest employer has also been compelled to leave and shut down their 75-year-old business after being unable to attract enough workers.
Workers living in Seeley Lake, an unincorporated community in Missoula County are being forced to leave the area after officials have been unable to replace the town's septic system
The owner of Pyramid Mountain Lumber said this was the 'toughest' thing they had done and couldn't imagine working anywhere else.
'To make the announcement to the crew was probably the toughest thing; I've got friends, family, you know, generations, good friends that work here. I had to tell them we're going to shut the doors,' Todd Johnson, the third-generation owner of the mill told ABC News.
'I've never drawn a paycheck from any other business in my whole life. I started here in sixth grade. This is all I've ever known.'
Explaining the significance of the mill in the town, he further added: 'There hasn't been an apartment, duplex or fourplex built in this town in over 30 years.
'When you're talking about entry-level housing for more blue collar workers… it's not available.'
The owner of Pyramid Mountain Lumber said this was the 'toughest' thing they had done and couldn't imagine working anywhere else
'Our payroll just here to our employees is over $6 million a year. You take that out of this economy, it'll change the fabric of the town. There's no doubt,' Todd Johnson, the third-generation owner of the mill noted
The shutdown of Pyramid Mountain marks the official end of the county's once thriving lumber and sawmill industry.
'Our payroll just here to our employees is over $6 million a year. You take that out of this economy, it'll change the fabric of the town. There's no doubt,' Johnson noted.
Kyle Marx, Rovero's Hardware's general manager also noted that despite being in busy season, the store is 'running on a skeleton crew'.
'No affordable housing here. Rentals have diminished since COVID hit, and everybody came up here, bought every rental darn near that was available and turned them into vacation rentals or moved up here themselves,' he explained.
The shutdown of Pyramid Mountain marks the official end of the county's once thriving lumber and sawmill industry
According to Dave Strohmaier, Missoula Board of County Commissioners chair, the situation is a result of reluctance to pay for a centralized sewer system by officials
Dee Baker, owner of an antique store named Grizzly Claw Trading Company, said that the sewage problem has been going on for years.
'There could be low-income housing built but the people in the town cannot come to an agreement [for a sewer system] with Missoula County. And it's been going on for years and years,' Baker noted.
According to Dave Strohmaier, Missoula Board of County Commissioners chair, the situation is a result of reluctance to pay for a centralized sewer system by officials as well as a fear that such a major infrastructure change would alter the community’s character.
'The irony is that the lack of the infrastructure is a big reason why Pyramid Mountain Lumber cannot find the housing for their employees and the employees to keep it going, and hence change is upon us,' he said.
