Storm water panel lacks funds for work

Commissioners say they are undecided on instituting the storm water fees.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The Trumbull County Storm Water Management Committee continues to build the county's response to the Environmental Protection Agency's mandate on storm water, but one big element is missing: funding.
John Woolard of the county Soil and Water Conservation District and other members of the committee gave commissioners an annual report on the effort this week.
One commissioner favors the funding; one is against it; and one wants to study it further.
The basic goal of the EPA mandate is to clean up the water flowing through such sources as streams, ponds and storm sewers, Woolard said.
Commissioner James Tsagaris said he favored the funding. "We've put them off for a couple of years. The EPA's going to start imposing fines pretty soon," he noted.
Commissioner Dan Polivka said he "had some concerns with it before. I still have some concerns." He said he has not decided whether to support the fee.
"I don't know," Commissioner Paul Heltzel said. "I've got a lot of studying to do."
Commissioners refused the committee's request in 2004 to institute a $30-per-year fee attached to property taxes in 16 communities to fund the committee's work. Polivka was one of the chief opponents. Joe Angelo was a commissioner at the time, replaced by Heltzel in 2005.
Affected areas
The fees would apply to homeowners in Bazetta, Brookfield, Champion, Howland, Hubbard Township, Liberty, Newton Township, Vienna, Warren Township, Weathersfield, Cortland, Girard, Hubbard city, McDonald, Newton Falls and Niles.
The storm water committee, represented by Woolard and others, has continued to try to meet the six minimum control measures mandated by the EPA despite the lack of funding.
The committee has also started to produce maps that will show locations of storm sewers throughout the affected areas that can be used later to track unclean-water discharges.
The committee is hoping the current commissioners will agree to institute $30-per-household fees for township residents in the affected areas and $15 for city or village residents. The reason for the difference, Woolard said, is because municipalities have the ability to levy their own storm water fees.
Woolard said the funding would allow the hiring of additional manpower in various agencies that would continue the work.
Here's the worry
Members of the committee, including county planning commission, health department and SWCD, said they are concerned that the county is coming closer to being in noncompliance with the EPA and could start being fined. The EPA set a deadline of January 2008 to meet its requirements.
Frank Migliozzi, health department environmental director, said he doesn't believe people understand the ramifications of failing septic systems and the unclean water that goes into the waterways as a result.
Migliozzi said every time he sees an EPA representative, he is asked how the storm water situation is progressing.
runyan@vindy.com