Sewer district penalty on bills could be cut
By Benita Heath, The Ironton Tribune, Ohio | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
"We need to look at the penalty part,"
Right now the district charges a monthly fee of
"A
Then the bill goes onto the customer's property tax, which could end up with that property going into foreclosure.
At the meeting the commission accepted the Union Rome Sewer Delinquency Assessment list where out of approximately 5,000 customers 474 were in arrears. Total arrearage is
In March the commissioners hired South Point CPA Robert Payne to review the financials of the district to determine if the monthly rate could be reduced. That report was received by commission president
The penalty was placed between 1997 and 2000, according to county auditor
"The penalty is dedicated," Stephens said. "When those are paid on the taxes, that money is set aside from regular operating expenses to that capital improvement of the district."
That decision was made after 2000.
The regular monthly fee of the district goes to operating expenses. At the end of 2013, the district had taken in
Boggs said when the county defaulted on the first payment on the new plant, the OWDA determined the new rates and what all subsequent increases would be. Stephens said a renegotiation of the rates did not preclude the county from setting the district's rates.
After the commission meeting Boggs said OWDA's control over the rate structure has ceased and the commission can change the rates, if financially feasible.
Both Boggs and commissioner
"We will definitely change that," Boggs said. "It is going to happen."
"I think it is not fair to the people and way too high," Hayes said.
In other action the commission:
-- Signed the CEBCO renewal of county employee health insurance benefits;
-- Promoted county EMS paramedic
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