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Canfield council approves increase in water rate
By Robert Connelly
AUSTINTOWN
Canfield City Council has unanimously approved a 4.375 percent water-rate increase for city residents and decided not to revisit a proposed loan to restructure the city’s debt.
Over the past several weeks, Councilman Chuck Tieche along with other members have brought up the need to increase water rates because the city has been absorbing rate increases for the past few years from its supplier, the city of Youngstown.
“We’ve absorbed the increase over the years because we had a surplus,” but now we’re almost at a deficit, council President Steve Rogers said at Wednesday’s council meeting.
Warino said the rate increase goes into effect July 1 and will mean an increase of $8.66 per quarter for the average user.
According to water-rate ordinances passed in December 2012 and Wednesday night, Youngstown has increased Canfield’s rates by 8.75 percent each year for five years, from 2010 through this year.
Tieche also asked council to discuss an ordinance allowing the city to take out a $1.24 million loan to restructure its debt.
The ordinance was rejected by a 2-2 tie vote at the last meeting, April 16, when Councilman Don Dragish Jr. was absent.
Tieche voted no on the measure, but said Wednesday, “I believe this ordinance is significant enough to have all members vote on it.”
His motion for discussion of the measure was rejected, 3-2, with Dragish and Councilman John Morvay voting no along with Tieche, and Mayor Bernie Kosar Sr. and Rogers voting yes.
After the meeting, Rogers said, “It’s done. We were led to believe it [a re-vote on the ordinance] could pass, and it did not.”
He added that the loan will not be revisited again this year. The loan would have lowered the interest rate on existing city debt, saving the city $300,000 in interest payments, as well as pay for an extension to the police station.
At a managers meeting earlier this year on budget talks, Rogers suggested raising the income tax, and Morvay suggested a capital-improvement levy. Both lawmakers said those ideas will be discussed, and Rogers said a levy on this November’s ballot is possible.
Asked about concerns over Mahoning County voters rejecting a number of levies in Tuesday’s election, Morvay said, “It’s a concern, but it would be a small levy. You’re talking less than 1 mill.”
In other news, Canfield Parks board member Bob Minkler told council the city was named a “Tree City” for the 33rd-consecutive year.
Residents of Chapel Lane spoke about flooding issues in their yards since the road was repaved about two years ago.
City officials told residents who spoke before council and provided pictures of flooded yards and driveways that they are looking into possibly raising the curb level or other solutions.