CANFIELD City residents to face increased sewer rates

Households also face up to a 200 percent increase in storm sewer fees.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CANFIELD -- City households face either a 33 percent or 40 percent sanitary sewer rate increase, depending on which of two alternative ordinances city council passes.
The rate would rise from $3.75 per thousand gallons of water to either $5 or $5.25 per thousand gallons effective Jan. 1, 2004. For the minimum users, primarily senior citizens, this would mean the sanitary sewer portion of their bills would rise from $11.25 per month to $15 a month, if the $5 figure is adopted, or $15.75 if the $5.25 figure passes.
"We are now losing money in our sanitary sewer fund," said Mayor Lee Frey. "The minimum that we can raise the rates on sewers is the $5. The $5 allows us to break even. We're trying to hold it as low as we can to break even," he added.
For the most numerous middle group of users, sanitary sewer portions of bills would rise from $25 to $33.33 a month or to $35, depending on which ordinance passes. Sanitary sewer charges haven't increased since 1999, said city Manager Charles Tieche.
Storm sewer rates
City households also face either a 100 percent or 200 percent increase in storm sewer fees, depending on which of two alternative ordinances passes. One ordinance would raise the current flat $1 monthly residential storm sewer fee to $2, and the other would raise it to $3. The fee increases would pay for storm sewer improvements. The storm sewer charge was enacted in 1992 and has never been increased.
"We're talking about adding storm sewers in some areas, expanding storm sewers. If we're going to do any of those, there needs to be some additional revenue generated," Tieche said. The storm sewer improvements would be designed to help alleviate flooding, such as that which occurred in this summer's heavy rains, he said.
The sanitary and storm sewer charges are part of a four-part bill that also includes water and bond debt retirement charges, both of which would stay the same.
Given first reading
The ordinances were introduced and given first reading Wednesday, and will come back before council at 6 p.m. Nov. 19. Council could then give whichever sanitary and storm sewer rate ordinances it favors a second reading, which would constitute final passage.
Also introduced Wednesday and coming back before council Nov. 19 are ordinances that would give $1,500 across-the-board pay increases for next year to nonunion city employees, excluding the city manager.
Only three of five members of council were present for Wednesday's meeting: Council President Kevin Hughes; Councilman Sam Boak, and the mayor. Councilwoman Marleen Belfiore and Councilman Dennis Wilde were absent because of illness.
milliken@vindy.com