November 16, 2020 - Utility Committee Meeting

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Attendance: Mayor Hawk, VA Miller, Clerk – Treas. Kris King, Council Members Fox, Hess, Hilliard,  Radich, and Schwab.  Council Member Brett Long was unable to attend due to work.

 

The meeting was opened by Mayor Hawk and turned over to Council Member and Utility Chairman Dale Fox.

                                                                                               

Council Member Fox stated the meeting was to discuss tap fees for water and sewer.  Council Member Fox asked VA Miller to discuss what the issues were and what his recommendations were.

 

VA Miller began with water tap fee. The legislation states that a water tap fee is considered a $1500 deposit with a refund or a bill depending on whether materials reach that dollar amount, no labor was listed against the deposit. The legislation on the sewer tap fee states a $750 deposit is required with a refund or a bill depending on the cost. This one states that labor and material will be calculated in the cost. VA Miller stated that these need to read the same. In the past people paid the deposit and has been treated like a fee. He also stated the wording in the sewer legislation state the resident only pays to the street right of way. VA Miller stated this needs to be changed to state that the resident is responsible from the home to the tap, wherever it happens to be.

 

VA Miller stated that we need to decide whether it is going to be a deposit or a fee and we also need to make sure we have the same rules for both. Council Member Hilliard stated he felt it would be simpler to just have a fee. VA Miller gave examples where $1500 was greatly exceeded (610 Tuscarawas) and cases where it didn’t cost the village anything (Fairless Schools). VA Miller also brought up allowing residents to hire a contractor with village oversight of the project to be stated in the legislation.

 

Council Member Fox stated that the fees were set when it was assumed that the tap was straight out from the house to the street. He also asked if there could be more properties like 610 Tuscarawas where the tap line had to be run down the block. VA Miller said there could be some others. Council Member Fox asked if VA Miller had any idea how many more buildable lots that were in town. VA Miller stated there are several dozen possible buildable lots.

 

VA Miller stated that when new residents start to build a home Brewster, their first introduction to the village is when they come to village Hall for their building permits and to pay their tapping fees. He would like to see the tapping fees be more customer friendly and make sure the legislation is clear and concise.

 

 

Meeting adjourned at 6: 55 PM.

 

 

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Clerk-Treasurer Kris King