By John Estridge
Brookville Town Council members voted unanimously to increase water and sewer rates and took a matter of increasing and in some cases implementing fees related to the police department under advisement.
Sewage rates will increase for town residents by 20 percent in the first year (2021), 3 percent the second year and 3 percent the third year. Water rates are to increase by 5 percent the first year (2021) and then 3 percent in each of the next two years. Council had agreed to increase the rates for out-of-town customers by 50 percent but amended it to 25 percent during the Tuesday, February 9 meeting.
At the January 12 meeting, according to Brookville Town Administrator Tim Ripperger, the average water bill for a family using 4,000 gallons a week is $10.07 and for out-of-town users, $12.58. The average current sewage bill for a family at 4,000 gallons is $25.40 per month.
There was no discussion before the vote except for BTC members and town officials answering questions from Observer reporter Bridget Hayes.
Hayes asked how much money would be generated by the increases, and no one could answer that question.
Campbell seemed upset at Hayes’ questions about how the money from the increased rates will be used by BTC. Hayes had asked if the money derived from sewer and water bills could be used for other projects such as town employees’ salaries and the proposed new town hall.
“You sound like we are trying to make money off this,” Campbell said. “We’re doing it to break even. Our expenses have gone up.”
He said the last rate increases came in 2015 so council members were trying to catch up on revenues to match increases in expenses over that time.
Since Campbell said the rate increase would allow the utilities to break even, Hayes asked how much of a deficit the town is currently running in those funds.
Campbell then said he misspoke, and the funds are not running at a deficit, but if the council members did not increase the rates, that could happen.
Town Clerk Treasurer Gina Gillman said some communities increase the water and sewer rates a little annually to keep from having larger rate increases after going five or more years without an increase. She said the utilities are well run, but some of the equipment is aging.
Town Administrator Tim Ripperger expanded on that and said items such as the Oxidation Ditch at the sewer plant are now 60 years old or older, which means they will need replaced and there are added maintenance costs. A screen was recently replaced, and a Chicago company is charging $5,000 annually to inspect the screen, Ripperger said.
Earlier in the meeting, council members discussed proposed rate increases involving the police department. These fees include responding to false alarms, lockouts, accident/incident reports and Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) checks.
BTC President Curtis Ward said these were presented to Ripperger by Brookville Police Chief Terry Mitchum.
Mitchum proposes increasing and in some cases implementing fees. They are: accident and incident reports should be $10 each, $5 for VIN checks, after two false alarms, $25 for subsequent false alarms at the same address and Mitchum suggested $25 for residents who are locked out of their vehicles and $40 for those who are not Brookville residents.
Three area communities were contacted to see what they charge for similar items. On the incidence/accident reports, Batesville charges $5, Connersville $5, and Oxford, Ohio 10 cents per page. With the VIN checks, Batesville charges $3, Connersville and Oxford each has no charge. With the false alarm charges, Connersville charges $50 after three false alarms, Batesville does not charge anything and Oxford has a charge after three false alarms. With lockouts, Batesville has no charge, Connersville does not do lockouts and Oxford does not charge anything but the person requesting the officer’s help with a lockout must sign a waiver.
Brookville Attorney Tammy Davis said she thought the proposed rates for an accident/incident report were too high and she liked the idea of doing something like the Oxford Police Department and charge a fee per page.
Hayes said when she was involved in an accident in 2019, within the Brookville town limits, the Brookville Police Department had her go to a website, and she had to pay $15 to get a copy of her accident report. Resident Justin Moore said he had an accident in Batesville and had the same experience as Hayes.
Gillman said the proposed accident report fee would be on top of the other fee or an increase in it of that amount. The town receives part of the fee paid to that website, she said.
Campbell said some towns have locksmiths available to help residents who get locked out, but Brookville does not have any locksmiths. Ward said it was a good idea to sign a waiver before a police officer attempts to unlock a vehicle in case of damage to that vehicle.
Council members Eric Johnson and Brooke Leffingwell were appointed to a committee to look at this situation and then report back to the town council.
