City Council looks at utility rate increases

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

City residents will be paying more for water and sewer if legislation introduced at Monday’s Van Wert City Council meeting is adopted.

City Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming requested a 5 percent increase in water rates and a 7 percent increase in sewer rates — the first rate increases since 2013. The sewer rate increase is needed to pay for a $6 million project mandated by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency that would help eliminate combined sewer overflows. The EPA has been working on separating storm and sanitary sewer lines for several years.

The water rate increase is due to inflation driving up costs for the city Water Department, Fleming noted.

The legislation will be read three times prior to passage.

The safety-service director also noted in his report to Council that the city would conduct one more leaf pick-up on Monday, December 5.

Also Wednesday, a number of people spoke in connection with a proposal to allow alcohol sales on city-owned property, with most of those speaking opposed to the idea.

City resident Linda Hartman was one of those speaking, noting that she was not against alcohol sales by non-profit organizations in general, but felt that alcohol sales on city property was not appropriate.

Another city resident, Clint Howard, who works with the City of Fort Wayne, Indiana, on public events, said that city has many successful events where alcohol is not served.

Former City Council member Stuart Jewett noted that the city ordinance banning the sale of alcohol on city property, first passed in the 1970s, was done because of the then-sale of 3.2 beer to those 18 years of age and older. The sale of 3.2 beer attracted youths from Indiana to border cities such as Van Wert, Jewett added, noting his opinion that Council members at that time felt that banning alcohol sales on city property would avoid problems from teenagers drinking alcohol in public.

Noting that 3.2 beer is no longer sold, Jewett said he feels having alcohol sales on city property in a controlled environment would not be a problem, stating that the Van Wert Rib Fest has had no problems in 10 years of selling alcohol at the Van Wert County Fairgrounds under those conditions.

Pastor Steve Haskin of Whitehorse Ministries said he was opposed to alcohol sales on public property, noting he has dealt with personal problems related to alcohol and drug addiction, and has ministered to many people with substance abuse problems.

“Alcohol is bad, just like drugs,” Haskin noted.

A final decision will be made on the legislation at City Council’s December 12 meeting.

Council also acted favorably on a request by the Van Wert County Foundation to use a city-owned parking lot east of the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office in a property swap with the county that would provide Wassenberg Art Center with property behind the art center that could be used for a number of projects.

City Council members also approved a lease agreement related to the Van Wert County Regional Airport that would lease the airport to the Airport Authority for $1 a year.

City Council’s Finance Committee also decided to maintain Council salaries at the current level: $4,900 for Council members and $5,500 for the Council president’s position. The city treasurer’s position would also remain at the same salary: $2,100, until 2020.

Mayor Jerry Mazur noted that a new city-county economic development director should be hired within the next month.