At the Feb. 16 city council meeting, the amendment, sponsored by councilman Jack Whipple, changed the current ordinance requiring those who own property within 100 feet of a city sewer line to pay a sewer bill regardless if they hook into it or not.
Whipple felt the ordinance needed to be revised because if you live on the other side of a road where the line runs it would be too costly to boar under the road to hook up to it.
Whipple has been contacted by citizens who had had their water turned off by the city because they would not pay a sewer bill for a service they did not have and one that would be too expensive to hook onto on the other side of the road.
The amendment specifies those who live on the same side of the road as a gravity sewer line who own property within a 100 feet will be required to pay a bill regardless if they hook onto the sewer or not.
“It’s just not fair to make someone pay a bill for sewer if it would cost them thousands of dollars to boar under a road to hook into the system. The city should provide a tap for them or not require them to pay a sewer bill if they are not on the same side of the road as the line,” said Whipple.
Mayor Zick vetoed the amendment Tuesday stating, “If the change is permitted to take place then where is the incentive for home owners to ever connect to the sanitary sewer? The change says gravity sewer, what about forced main sanitary sewer? What if the sewer line is located in the middle of the street or road? It would appear that residents living on both sides of the street or road can say they don’t choose to hook on to the sewer.”
Zick also reminded the council in his veto message that the Division of Water must approve any changes made to the ordinance as they are responsible for defending the sewer use ordains in court.
Zick is worried the amendment may effect revenue. “According to the current budget and rate we are already in the hole and when the new water rate increases from Logan Todd we will be deeper in the hole,” said Zick.
A brief confrontation occur between the mayor and Councilman Lanny McPherson after Zick read his veto message which included McPherson’s business – Rolling Hills Golf Course. Zick added that it must be noted that it wasn’t until the city investigated and found that on Highway 431, the city located several residents and businesses that were not paying for sewer service for many years.
“When we learned this had been happening under prior administrations and continuing into mine, a committee was formed to make recommendations as to what would be a fair settlement and as to what would be the back charges. It looks like we are trying to make the same kind of deal that was made with Rolling Hills for not paying for sewer use for 19 years. Apparently special interest groups get special treatment,” said Zick.
McPherson said he took offense to the mayor’s statements in the paragraph where he singles out Rolling Hills.
“We did everything the city asked of us present, past and future. You talk about special interest groups mayor, during your investigations did you find out about a sewer line across the Russellville Country Club?” asked McPherson.
Mayor Zick answered, “Yes.”
McPherson went on to say, “Are they paying a sewer bill?” to which Zick answered, “No.”
McPherson said, “You didn’t take long to investigate us but you choose not to investigate a club you are a member of?”
Councilman Whipple asked city attorney Bob Hedges the protocol of overriding a mayor’s veto. Hedges said it takes a vote of the council. Whipple then made a motion to override the veto with McPherson making the second. The motion passed unanimously.
“I don’t know what will happen now,” said Whipple adding, “I guess the state will have to okay it now.”
Whipple said he ha tried to contact the state and get answers concerning the issue including is it the city’s responsibility to provide a tap or a way to hook up to the system but he can not get an answer from them.
"The amendment specifies those who live on the same side of the road as a gravity sewer line who own property within a 100 feet will be required to pay a bill regardless if they hook onto the sewer or not"
Why not just enact another ammendment where folks who are of legal driving age have to pay a licensing fee whether or not they own a car, Or how about having someone pay a gas fee on their all electric home just because the gas line is 100' from their home. Governments are always delving into our pockets when they get fiscally irresponsible. So what happens when all of the people tap into these sewer lines, and the system can't handle it..PRICE HIKE because now they'll have to expand the waste treatment facilities.