by Jeff Saunders
Reporter
North Summit County -- Area officials plan to join forces to decide whether they will oppose a regional stormwater utility fee.
Officials from Summit County, as well as Macedonia, Northfield Center, Northfield Village, Sagamore Hills, Hudson, Boston Heights and Richfield attended a meeting at the Macedonia City Center Nov. 18 to discuss a $3 to $6 monthly fee for property owners proposed by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District.
Officials decided to form a "working group" to discuss whether they could oppose the county fee and to come up with regional solutions for stormwater problems.
"Storm water does not stop at the boundaries of our communities," said Richfield Mayor Mike Lyons.
Macedonia Mayor Don Kuchta will coordinate the group.
County Executive Russ Pry pledged support, saying he felt the county's engineer, environmental services and law department should be part of the working group.
NEORSD Executive Director Julius Ciaccia agrees a regional approach is needed -- and that his agency should take the lead. He said his agency also wants to find ways to keep storm water during heavy rains from northern Summit County from overflowing into the Summit County-owned sanitary sewer system, which drains into the NEORSD sewer lines in Cuyahoga County.
Instituting the fee would help pay for this.
But some community officials questioned what benefit they would get from the agency's fee.
Sagamore Hills Trustee Jim Hunt said he is concerned that NEORSD is presenting the fee as if it is a done deal.
"They're telling us, they're not asking us," he said.
Kuchta said he is worried that most of the money collected would flow out to fund projects in Cuyahoga County, with very little coming back for local stormwater remedies.
"No way, no shape, no how should we send money from our constituents north and not receive any of the benefits," he said.
But Betsy Yingling, storm water manager for NEORSD disputed that, saying "it is important to split the money evenly" among affected areas.
Ciaccia said the NEORSD still has many details to work out.
"In Summit County, there seems to be a desire to talk collectively, and we're willing to do that," he said.
Kuchta said the city has been working on stormwater issues on its own. In response to flooding during a June 2006 storm, the city set up the Drainage and Sewer Control Committee two years ago. Composed of residents and city officials, the group has proposed retention basins and other stormwater controls.
The committee recently proposed a $7 or $12 quarterly stormwater utility fee, separate from the NEORSD's, for these projects and general sewer maintenance.
"We met with [NEORSD] and we're not real thrilled with their plan," said Committee Chairman Dennis Mulac. "Our feeling is they're using this money to fund what's going on in Cuyahoga County."
E-mail: jsaunders@recordpub.com
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