Sewer charges bring residents to council meeting

by Sue Serdinak

May 21 village council meeting

Richfield Village council chamber, normally rather empty for council meetings, was filled with residents who wanted to speak about a village requirement that everyone who has sewer service through the village and has a water well must install a meter to register the amount of water flowing into the sewer system. Until now, those properties were billed a flat fee for sewer service.

The village has ordered the meters for these property owners, which cost about $200. Residents can install them or hire a professional.

One resident said he organized property owners on St. Nicholas Drive who hired one plumber to install the meters, reducing the cost for everyone.

In addition, legislation was on the agenda to begin charging a yearly fee of 80 cents per linear foot of sewer line that runs in front of all properties.

In 1996 council passed legislation to assess a linear-foot sewer fee, but administrations never implemented it. Since then the sewer equipment has continued to age and the repair fund has diminished. 

Finance Director Sandy Turk presented data about the village’s sewer fund, which showed the balance in the fund has been declining for the past four years. The fund is used for maintenance of the municipal sewer lines and equipment, which are about 50 years old and in need of replacement or repair.

The village pays Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District to accept the wastewater once it is piped from the village to Cuyahoga County. NEORSD fees are regulated by the Ohio Public Utilities Commission. 

Turk said that by law the sewer fund must remain separate from the village operating fund. Because of maintenance costs, the sewer fund has declined from $5.5 million in 2021 to $1.9 million in 2024.

A few residents said they are on a fixed income and will not be able to pay this fee.

Council President Ralph Waszak reminded the audience of the smell of sewage in ditches before the sewer lines were installed.

Councilperson Rick Hudak said that septic tanks are also expensive and require annual cleaning.

Councilperson Bobbie Beshara suggested the village do a rate study before adding the linear charge.

The ordinance to enact the linear foot charge was ready for a third reading and passage at the meeting, but council voted to table it.

Retirement

Fire Chief George Seifert announced the retirement of Lt. Jason Purkey from the fire department after serving for 31 years.

Pavilion party

In other business, Planning Director Brian Frantz reported that work on the Green, including the completion of the pavilion, will be non-stop, including on Memorial Day, so that it will be finished by May 29, when the mayor has scheduled a band concert and ribbon-cutting ceremony.