TRUMBULL COUNTY Residents sue over sewer line

The homeowners object to being forced to tap into a sewer.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- More than 60 Trumbull County residents have filed a lawsuit alleging it is unconstitutional to impose assessments and force homeowners to tap into sanitary sewer lines.
The residents, who refer to themselves as Citizens Against Unconstitutional Sewer Extensions, filed the lawsuit Friday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
The suit names Trumbull County commissioners, the county sanitary engineer, the county auditor and Jim Petro, the state attorney general, as defendants.
County officials and Petro could not be reached to comment.
According to the suit, 22 residents of Sablecreek Development in Mineral Ridge, 34 residents of Hunt Club Trail in Howland Township and six residents on King Graves Road in Vienna Township say the Trumbull County Board of Health has ordered them to abandon their present household sewage disposal systems and connect to the sanitary sewer system.
To do this, the homeowners will be required to pay for the sewer cost.
The lawsuit further states that Hunt Club and Sablecreek plaintiffs living within 200 feet of the sewer are mandated by law to connect.
Suit's contention
The state statute that requires homeowners to tap into a sanitary sewer line is unconstitutional, the lawsuit states.
"The statute fails to provide any provisions by which a property owner can object to the plans and specifications of the project; object to the bids and failure to take bids for the job; object to a preliminary or proposed assessment; or appeal any determination to a court of law that would be detrimental to their rights or interests," the lawsuit states.
In addition to the inspection fee to tap into the sewers, each homeowner is also required to pay an additional fee of $1,000, the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit does not state the cost of the inspection fee. Neither county officials or CAUSE's attorney, Frank Bodor of Warren, could be reached.
The suit has been assigned to Judge John Stuard. No hearing date has been scheduled.
sinkovich@vindy.com