Middletown Forum : Water / Sewer rates

Water / Sewer rates : In February 2011 the city council...

Sun, 07 Feb 2016 19:08:40 +0000

Author: SEEKING THE TRUTH
Subject: 6260
Posted: Feb 07 2016 at 7:08pm

In February 2011 the city council passed a ordinance that chargeday every home owner in the city a monthly closed landfill fee. So just what do you need that for if it is closed Doug and who is getting the money for the rent of Mark's towing renting that so closed landfill.

Water / Sewer rates : SpiderJohn is right about the...

Tue, 02 Feb 2016 12:41:40 +0000

Author: Cooper
Subject: 6260
Posted: Feb 02 2016 at 12:41pm

SpiderJohn is right about the wrong type of resident moving out. The only reason there hasn't been a mass exodus is for every four offers on houses, only one buyer qualifies. One of the most highly priced homes in the city on Thorn Hill once had a tax value of nearly a million dollars. Its now at about three hundred fifty thousand.

Water / Sewer rates : Cooper I hope a great many taxpayers...

Tue, 02 Feb 2016 10:08:37 +0000

Author: Vivian Moon
Subject: 6260
Posted: Feb 02 2016 at 10:08am

Cooper
I hope a great many taxpayers and council members of this city read MUSA.
Many of the older people in this community are the only ones that remember thehistory and what was promised by City Hall over the years regarding many ofthese important issues.
We all what the best for Middletownhowever we need to be fully informed with all the facts not just the sound bitescoming from City Hall

Water / Sewer rates : not surprised that Mr.A and most...

Tue, 02 Feb 2016 09:32:53 +0000

Author: spiderjohn
Subject: 6260
Posted: Feb 02 2016 at 9:32am

not surprised that Mr.A and most others read here----where else do you read much of anything about m-town? The guy is open, listens and is interested in what others think--have never heard him slam the site--a good thing overall

the MJ-N comments are usually flaming lol

I feel for the dope users, and feel a lot more for their family and friends--a guaranteed tragedy and bad ending. I have learned that I can't do anything about it. Best thing was it showed me that I wanted no part of it. Over 45 years, I have watched friends and acquaintances caught up in it. I lost one of my childhood throughout best friends to it. Miss him a lot to this day. Do I feel sorry for him?? no I am still mad at him--and the same for every other user torturing themselves, family and friends.

if they want to selfishly ruin so many lives, then so be it. just don't come crying expecting everyone else to fix the situation--a hard stance but pretty much the reality

jmo--don't expect total agreement

Water / Sewer rates : Isn't this odd? Below is...

Mon, 01 Feb 2016 11:29:59 +0000

Author: Cooper
Subject: 6260
Posted: Feb 01 2016 at 11:29am

Isn't this odd? Below is recent Douglas Adkins blog-

The Journal ran an article about the City potentially converting a closed fire station to a Post-Treatment Recovery Center. There were several comments on the Journal web page that included:

“Let the idiots die that make the choice to shove heroin in themselves.”

“How about a row of Noose’s lined up on Donham Square were we can Hang the Dopers and Pusher’s every Sunday Afternoon and the Have Famous Recipe cater a Chicken Lunch! All Drug Users and Sellers Deserve and Need the Death Penalty!”

“The cost to revive the heroin addict doesn’t have to be that high. Thin the herd. If they don’t care any more for their lives than to take the risk of dying with each usage, why should we, the people, care? Just let ’em go. Apparently it’s what they want to do as they are willing to roll the dice on death each time.”

Why not-

"Many may blame an addict for their problems unsympathetically."

Yes, he reads musa.

Water / Sewer rates : well--to Mr.A's credit, he...

Sun, 31 Jan 2016 20:24:59 +0000

Author: spiderjohn
Subject: 6260
Posted: Jan 31 2016 at 8:24pm

well--to Mr.A's credit, he is now stuck doing the dirty work that past Councils/commissions/Admins refused to do.
The streets are beginning to be fixed, along with the sewers----the sewer fix MAY eventually be paid---the Planning and ED depts. are under new leadership---someone had to start doing the right things.

Still---making us one of the higher cost communities for basic services and tax rates combined with reductions of most important services, along with making us the most heroin-friendly city in an area underwater with the junk will hardly make us attractive to the kind of new residents that we need.

Quality of life amenities an options are needed, while new businesses will be hesitant to move here with the higher basic service costs. I would rather we become the LEAST desirable community for heroin users. Arrests and cold turkey time behind bars over free needles and halfway houses--make the users view Middietown as the LAST place that they want to be.

With what is currently going on, we will probably continue to shrink our population, but we will lose those that we desparately need to retain imo...

Water / Sewer rates : FactguyMr. Adkins has not reduced...

Sat, 30 Jan 2016 14:17:24 +0000

Author: Vivian Moon
Subject: 6260
Posted: Jan 30 2016 at 2:17pm

Factguy
Mr. Adkins has not reduced the number of Section 8 vouchers in Middletown and can not reduce them in the future.
Many people in this city do not pay for the amount of water that they use...they pay the minimum amount charged by the city. So many, myself included, pay for water and sewage that we don't even use. How can this be a faiir billing practice?

Don't forget that after we dig up the streets to replace the water and sewer lines we will need to repair the streets and that will take millions and million more of our taxdollars.

Water / Sewer rates : Donâ€™t forget they have already...

Sat, 30 Jan 2016 12:10:29 +0000

Author: Vivian Moon
Subject: 6260
Posted: Jan 30 2016 at 12:10pm

Don’t forget they have already increased the water rates for the next2 years. Has any of this money been transferred over to Captial Improvements?

Topic: Middletown water rates to increase
Posted: 06 Nov 2015 at 8:17am

Posted: 3:59 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015

Middletown water rates to increase

By Ed Richter

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN —

Middletown residents and businesses will see a bump in their water rates for 2016 and 2017.

City Council on Tuesday heard the first reading of an ordinance to increase water rates by 7.5 percent and would cost a typical residential user an additional $2.22 per month. Council will hear the second reading and consider for possible adoption at its Nov. 17 meeting.

City Manager Doug Adkins said city water rates are reviewed on a two-year schedule in consideration of operational, maintenance and capital improvement needs and costs of the water system.

According to the annual Oakwood Water and Sewer Rate Survey for southwest Ohio, the city ranks as the 18th lowest out of the 66 communities surveyed as of March 1, according to a staff report submitted to council from Scott Tadych, public works and utilities director. He said the city consistent ranks in the lower half of the surveyed communities.

The rates in the annual survey is based on the usage of 22,000 gallons or 3,0000 cubic feet during a three-month period.

Tadych said the water rates were last discussed in 2013 with rate increases of 5 percent in 2014 and 2015. An overall rate increase of 7.5 percent was recommended to council.

In addition, Tadych said there was an oversight in the 2013 legislation that left several rate classes unchanged for 2015 and that has been corrected in the new ordinance. He said the affected rate classes included private fire line rates, large user rates and senior citizen rates which should have been increased by 5 percent for 2015 but were not in the previous ordinance.

In a related matter, council also heard the first reading of an ordinance to approve a one-year continuation of the contract with SmartBill, Ltd., of Hebron, to outsource the mailing of city water and sewer bills for 2016.

The city has contracted with SmartBill since 2009 and company will continue to provide the service at the current cost for 2016. The cost to send bills out to the city’s approximately 21,000 customers is $0.13 cents a bill plus postage. The ordinance permits the expenditure of up to $120,000 a year to be equally paid out of the water and sewer funds.

The approximate monthly cost is $8,800 plus an additional $14,000 a year for stock costs such as bills, envelopes, etc. However, the city will absorb the cost of any postal rate increases.

City officials said the company has provided excellent service since 2009. Before contracting with SmartBill in 2009, the city did all of the utility billings.

Water / Sewer rates : â€œThe needs are significant...

Sat, 30 Jan 2016 11:56:05 +0000

Author: Vivian Moon
Subject: 6260
Posted: Jan 30 2016 at 11:56am

“Theneeds are significant for the city’s old and crumbling water and sewer pipes,as well as its water and sewage treatment plants. An estimate of the needs forthe water pipes and treatment plant is $125million. For the sewer collection system and treatment plant, the estimateis $209 million, he told councilmembers.”

Factguy

This is not about your esteem for Mr. Adkins. This is all about the past andpresent leadership of our city and the use of taxpayer’s dollars.
Leadership has known about the need for the separation of the sewers for many yearsas required by the EPA and have continued to kick this problem can down theroad for years.

”During the weekend meeting, Mayor LarryMulligan Jr. said it will be important to emphasize to citizens the reason forthe increases.
“I think the way topresent this, is this isn’t an increase in operating costs,” Mulligan said.“This is capital maintenance that needs to happen, making sure we have cleardisclosures and a fund set up to manage this (capital spending).”

Ahh yes, we the taxpayers give City Hall our money and thenthey place it into the bottomless pit known as the Capital Improvement Fund,never to be seen or heard about again. Million of dollars have vanished overthe years and now they are asking for us to trust them with millions of dollarsagain….they’re kidding right?

Sooo…is Mr. Mulligan now suggesting that CityHall set up yet another separate fund for these capital improvements? Will thisfund be set up as a RESTRICTED FUND that ensures these funds can only be usedfor replacement of sewer and water lines in the older areas of the city and notnew construction projects? Ahh yes, words do matter.
Now we need to discuss RESTRICTED FUNDS. If you look at your water bill youwill see a $.50 monthly charge for Wellhead Protection. Several years ago thisRestricted Fund had a balance of over a million dollars…and then Miss Judy and CityCouncil needed $600,000 to demo the Orman Building…and then City CouncilMembers voted to remove $600,000 from this RESTRICTED FUND to demo the building.I placed all the documentation on this blog.
Sooo…Mr. Mulligan how are you going to ensure the taxpayers this money, even ifit is placed in a RESTRICTED FUND won’t be raided like the Wellhead ProtectionFund when City Hall needs a few bucks for a different project?

Ahh yes, the old shell game at City Hall is alive and doing very well…

Water / Sewer rates : I have always held Doug Adkins...

Fri, 29 Jan 2016 22:52:27 +0000

Author: Factguy
Subject: 6260
Posted: Jan 29 2016 at 10:52pm

I have always held Doug Adkins in high esteem, but this effort is aimed in my opinion, towards social engineering. The social engineering target is section 8 voucher reduction. For each % increase in monthly rate, a forecast reduction in vouchers. The problem many have with this logic is all residents pay far greater than is reasonable for an effort to purge low income individuals. A city is supposed to run efficiently, and reduce costs. Not use a ranking of inefficiency to justify raising costs. Why worry about an income tax hike when massive rates on a monopolistic service accomplishes same. Joe Mulligan running on this platform for state representative bespeaks RINO. As it does for every member of council that speak constantly about regional sharing cost benefits, but raise rates every moment deemed opportune. Time to put the brakes on the nickel and dime approach to robbing Peter to pay Paul.