WARREN Sewer rate rise, flooding discussed

City sewer rates haven't increased since 1991.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Some council members want to see what projects are planned to alleviate flooding in their wards before they'll agree to a proposed sewer rate increase.
Last week, council gave first reading to an ordinance that would initially raise residential sewer rates from $1.98 to $2.74 per 100 cubic feet of water for city residents and from $2.79 to $3.85 for nonresidents.
It also calls for the rates to rise 17 cents per 100 cubic feet annually through 2007. Sewer rates haven't been increased since 1991.
City officials have said the rate increase is needed because of an anticipated $350,000 budget shortfall in the water pollution control department.
At a meeting with council's sewer committee Tuesday, Tom Angelo, director of the water pollution control center, said several projects to ease flooding have been planned for several years. They're just waiting for funding.
The department had a replacement fund of more than $2 million in 1999 and had planned to apply for a state loan to do a project. That plan was scrapped when the city's general fund revenue started to decrease.
Some council members had talked about approving the increase for 15 months but not enacting the remainder of the planned increases.
Angelo said that won't enable the department to get a state loan approved. A department has to show solvency for 20 years to get approved.
"We can't go out and do construction because the loan won't be approved," he said.
Here's the situation
Councilwoman Susan E. Hartman, D-7th, said there's nothing planned to help flooding problems in her ward. Residents have been asked to pay more for all of their city services and their income isn't increasing.
"We're asking them to pay more over and over and over, and they're not getting anything for their money," she said.
Councilwoman Virginia Bufano, D-1st, agreed. People on the city's northwest side have flooded basements.
"I'm not going to have the audacity to ask them to pay more unless you can tell me and the residents what you're going to do for them," Bufano said.
Mayor Hank Angelo asked council members if they could offer an alternative.
Tom Angelo said council members could decide what projects to do. But without the increase, the department won't be able to get a loan and won't be able to do any projects.
He said council could enact the increase and then if they aren't happy with what's being done by the department, they can "take me to task and if necessary, take the money away," Tom Angelo said.
Fred Harris, safety-service director, said the things being discussed by council are the same as council members talked about when flooding was a problem in the city 30 years ago.
In the past, politicians didn't want to make the tough decisions, preferring instead to leave it for the next officeholder, he said.
"The only way to fix it is to put money in it to fix it," Harris said. "There is no magic bullet, no more Band-Aids."
denise.dick@vindy.com