It's time for local officials to stop roiling the waters
While the saber-rattling by trustees in Austintown and Boardman townships over the drinking water supplied by the city of Youngstown has grabbed headlines, the tension between Youngstown and the townships is not new. Indeed, in 1991, Austintown trustees threatened court action challenging the 40 percent surcharge that Youngstown tagged onto rates paid by its suburban customers.
The lawsuit was never filed, and the surcharge is still in place. Then, as now, city officials were adamant that the surcharge was not only legal, but justified.
But there is a major difference between the clash that occurred 16 years ago, and the one taking place today: Then, Mayor Patrick J. Ungaro made it clear to the suburbs that removing the 40 percent surcharge was as unlikely as giving water to suburbanites free. That comment triggered a year-long war of words. Now, it was Mayor Jay Williams use of the word annexation that caused Austintown and Boardman townships to publicly discuss the possibility of finding other sources of drinking water.
A major issue in that discussion has to do with ownership of the water lines and storage tanks used by Youngstown to get the water to its suburban customers. City officials present and past point to court rulings that say the infrastructure belongs to the municipality supplying the water. But Austintown trustees aren't convinced, and they have joined forces with their counterparts in Boardman in seeking the advice of a lawyer who specializes in such matters.
Offer to buy
A new twist in the city-townships battle surfaced this week with the news that Aqua Ohio is offering to buy Youngstown's water system. The company estimates that such a transition could generate 50 million for the city. It is not known how Aqua Ohio arrived at that figure.
Regardless, Mayor Williams has made it clear that Youngstown's water system is not for sale. In fact, the city has offered to buy the city of Campbell's water treatment plant and distribution system.
Each of the communities involved in the current dust-up over water has legitimate concerns and issues that deserve to be addressed. But such dialogue cannot take place against the backdrop of threats, coercion and public posturing.
It's time for officials of Youngstown, Austintown and Boardman to be put away their sabers and have an intelligent discussion about how this most valuable of resources, water, can be used for the benefit of all.
Mayor Williams has said many times that Youngstown is not interested in annexation. His use of the word, he said, was in the context of discussing a recent court ruling in another part of the state that gives municipalities the right to use water as a tool for annexation.
Williams, like former Mayor Ungaro, believes that creating Joint Economic Development Districts with the suburban communities would be a financial boon for all parties. Businesses in the JEDDs would pay property taxes to the townships, while the employees would pay city income tax, possibly at a reduced rate.
Such an initiative could also open the door to a discussion about a reduction in the surcharge.
Given what's at stake, it's time for all sides to call a truce in the water fight.
There's room at the negotiating table.