Commissioners hold off on RFL sewer increase
By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press
Highland County Commissioners Shane Wilkin, Tom Horst and Jeff Duncan voted unanimously to maintain sewerage fees at their current level for Rocky Fork Lake area residents.
Wilkin said at the Wednesday, Dec. 2 board meeting that after speaking with Frank Leone of Environmental Engineering Services in Lebanon this week, it was agreed that the county could keep rates at the present level for at least another year.
"I spoke with Frank yesterday (Dec. 1), and he said we probably could do a $1 increase (for 2016) if we wanted to," Wilkin said, "or keep a very close eye on it next year. Overall, it's still a pretty cheap rate."
"I think it's good, for now," Horst said.
After a motion by Horst, the board voted, 3-0, to leave the rate as is for next year.
The Rocky Fork Lake Wastewater District began operation in 1999 with annual user fees of $162.
On Dec. 4, 2013, commissioners voted to increase the monthly sewerage fees by $1 – to the present $34.50 per month.
On Sept. 24, 2014, commissioners announced that residents within the Rocky Fork Lake Wastewater Treatment area will see an additional assessment fee of approximately $18.30 per year, per user.
Commissioners thanked Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins and Kathryn Allen, civil and criminal legal assistant for the prosecutor's office, for devoting considerable time and energy toward making collections of the user fees.
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• Commissioners also revisited a proposed road closure by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources on North Beach Road at Rocky Fork Lake State Park.
"I spoke with County Engineer Dean Otworth, and there are some concerns," Wilkin said. "I think it needs further discussion with Dean and ODNR."
At the Nov. 18 board meeting, Adam Somerville, an officer with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, met with commissioners regarding plans for the closure of part of North Beach Road just past Holiday Way at Rocky Fork Lake.
Somerville told commissioners that crime is a “huge problem” at the lake and that a large portion of the theft takes place at North Beach along the boat docks. North Beach is a target for theft due to its two entrances, Somerville told commissioners. Somerville said that ODNR has met with the Ohio Department of Transportation and plans to close the North Beach Road entrance just past Holiday Way.
"Jeff and I talked about this last week, and we agree, let's leave it up to Dean to work with ODNR," Horst said.
Paint Township Trustees Randy Mustard, Steven Karnes and Corey Miller have submitted a letter to the board in opposition to closing North Beach Road. (See sidebar.)
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Highland County’s monthly permissive sales tax revenues were up for November (reflecting September sales).
Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley reported November revenues at $569,871.25, up from $522,345.16 from the previous month and up from $521,259.63 one year ago.
Fawley also requested that all bills for 2015 be submitted by Friday, Dec. 4, to be paid by Dec. 9, barring any "dire emergencies."
Preliminary departmental budgets for 2016 will be presented for review next week.
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Resolutions
In other action, commissioners approved the following resolutions:
• A transfer from County Transfers Out to RFL Debt in the amount of $43,000.
• A transfer from County Transfers Out to Mowrystown Debt in the amount of $2,132.16.
• A request from Probation to revise budget within the Probation Budget in the amount of $5,000.
• A request from Probation to set up a new line item within the Pre-Trial Supervision Budget, 0449-T049-T09.085 Advances Out and appropriate $5,000 to that line item. Probation also requests to revise Pre-Trial Supervision Budget in the amount of $3,000. Probation requests a reimbursement of funds from Advances Out to Probation Services in the amount of $5,000 for previous transfer.
• A request from Probation to set up a new line item within the PSI Writing Account, 0450-T050-T09.085 Advances Out and appropriate $5,000 to that line item. Probation also requests a reimbursement of funds from Advances Out to Probation Services in the amount of $5,000 for previous transfer.
• A request from the Sheriff to revise Sheriff Budget in the amount of $15,000.
• A resolution for additional appropriation from unappropriated funds to Debt Transfers Settlement in the amount of $350,000
• A resolution for a budget modification within Dog & Kennel in the amount of $75.
• A request from Juvenile Court for a budget modification within the Youth Service Budget in the amount of $250.