Mansfield City Council tables vote on water rate increase until Jan. 3

If Mansfield City Council does not vote to increase water rates, there will be no money for capital improvements, city Engineer Bob Bianchi said at Tuesday's meeting.

Council held the third reading of the bill during its regular session, but after a lengthy and sometimes contentious discussion, voted 7-1 to table the measure until Jan. 3. Councilman Phil Scott was the dissenting vote.

"I don't want estimates," said Councilwoman Stephanie Zader, who proposed tabling the scheduled vote. "I want to see actual, factual numbers."

Council President David Falquette advised his colleagues to send their concerns to the administration "well before Jan. 3."

Paying for system improvements:City council holds first reading of proposed water bill increase

On average, Ohioans paid $697 per year for water service, Bianchi said at a previous council meeting. Mansfield residents were paying $510.77. Under the proposed changes, the annual cost for city customers would increase to an average of $699.50.

Council members who spoke on the issue said an overwhelming number of their constituents do not support a rate increase.

"One of them (emailers) was talking about the low-income people, and now we have Christmas coming," Councilman El Akuchie said. "I think we need to listen to the constituents tonight."

Zader said "almost every bit of feedback" she has received has been from people wanting more information about the replacement of water meters.

"We started a massive project that didn't go as planned that we have yet to finish," she said.

Revenue in the water fund dipped from $7.2 million in 2016 to $6.2 million in 2018, Bianchi told council at a previous meeting.

He reiterated those numbers Tuesday night.

"We knew there was a problem," Bianchi said. "It was determined we have faulty meters."

Mansfield contracted to replace water meters in 2019

In May 2019, the city contracted to replace every meter, an $18 million project. There are still some meters that need to be replaced.

Bianchi raised other issues.

"Our rates did not increase for 17 years. That's not sustainable," he said. "Where we are is not sustainable today. That is a fact. We will run out of money (in the water fund) very soon.

"If these rates won't increase, there's certain things that will not happen, and I think the public needs to know this."

Councilman Phil Scott indicated he would vote against an increase.

"We have way too many issues that are unresolved," he said. "To add another stress by increasing water rates now is unacceptable."

Akuchie and Councilwoman Laura Burns asked for numbers.

Roughly 800-900 meters still have to be installed

Public Works Director Dave Remy said of the initial 18,000 meters to be replaced, all but 800-900 have been at a rate of 25-30 a week.

Remy later said the project was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, adding there are only three people to install the new meters. They are working overtime and on Saturdays to complete the project.

Asked about delinquent accounts, Remy said the city cannot collect any payments on bills that are more than six years old because of a statute of limitations.

"We have dire needs in the water fund. We have infrastructure that is in dire need," he said. "We have no capital funds to be spent."

Remy continued, "We have water lines that are 60 to 80 to 100 years old and hydrants marked out of service. It's not a simple fix; it's an expensive fix."

Council last raised water rates two years ago. Zader questioned why if the city is collecting more money, it still has an inability to pay for projects.

"We didn't raise them (rates) sufficiently enough," Remy replied.

Zader said it's not often that council members get as much feedback on an issue as they have about the proposed water rate increase. She said out of about 50 such submissions, only one has been in favor of an increase.

But Bianchi said the "last thing we want is something terrible to happen" and in 10 years wonder why nothing was done to improve the infrastructure.

Without an increase, he added there would be "no new construction, no replacement (of water lines)."

"I don't know how we're going to operate," Bianchi said.

Toward the end of the discussion, two council members said the increase may be needed.

"Infrastructure is dire," Aurelio Diaz said. "We can't mess around with our water. That's our safety; that's our health."

Fellow Councilman Alomar Davenport said he was struggling with a decision.

"There will be a time when I will vote against what my constituents want," he said.

mcaudill@gannett.com

419-521-7219

Twitter: @MNJCaudill

Story background

At a recent city council meeting, city Engineer Bob Bianchi proposed eliminating the lowest usage tier and adding a readiness to serve charge each month.

The proposed changes would produce an additional $3.4 million a year, or $2.7 million for the readiness to serve charge and $680,000 through removing the first tier.

Bianchi previously did a community comparison. On average, Ohioans paid $697 per year for water service. Mansfield residents were paying $510.77.

Under the proposed changes, the annual cost for city customers would increase to an average of $699.50.

In 2022, the minimum bill for water only for Mansfield residents was $3.80 per month, or $8.52 when adding sewer. Customers in other cities were paying a minimum average of $11.64.

The new minimum would jump to $15.73 a month with the proposed changes, which would be in line with Shelby residents.

Customers with updated water meters are currently billed at a lower rate for the first 3,000 gallons of water used. They are then billed at a higher rate for the next 34,500 gallons.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Mansfield City Council delays vote on water rate increase