Adrian, MI – Lenawee County and a local Amish community have reached a settlement agreement in a years-long legal dispute between the Health Department and several families about disposal of septage and greywater systems.
The case has made waves in the media over the years, as the debate between public health and religious freedoms was pushed to the forefront.
The settlement agreement outlines processes that the Amish community must adhere to regarding vaulted toilets, holding tanks, spreading of septage, and soil evaluation. The document also talks about guidelines that the County Health Department must follow with the wastewater systems.
The agreement says that Lenawee County will pay the defendant, Eicher…and others… $425,000. The County Commissioners unanimously approved the document earlier this week.
Half will be paid from the Health Department and the other half from General Fund Contingency. The nearly-half a million dollar payment will go towards attorneys fees and other legal costs.
Initially, the County brought the case against Eicher and others in 2019… they were then countersued for claims of religious discrimination.
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*featured image is a stock photo, not a picture of the Amish community in Lenawee County*