Sewer line repair responsibility is clarified
The Athens Village Board on Monday voted to limit a homeowner’s responsibility for repairs to sanitary sewer laterals, but on a divided 5-2 vote.
The proposal makes residents responsible for fixing malfunctioning sewer laterals between the home and the curb. The village will be responsible for fixing sewer pipe problems that occur in a public street.
Board members Christopher Perkins, Tami Schreiner, Jessica McCord and Dwight Lenhard voted for the proposal. Village president Chuck Kornack and trustee Tracy Westfall voted no.
In debate, Perkins, chairman of the village’s Water and Sewer Committee, said municipalities around the area were “all over the board” on sewer lateral responsibility, but he felt the village, not homeowners, should be responsible for digging up a public street to fix a busted sewer line. He said the expense of street excavation could easily run up to $7,000 to $9,000.
Perkins said a homeowner’s sewer charge was “insurance” paid in to take care of a sewer line repair in a street.
Village president Kornack disagreed. He said it might be a burden for an individual homeowner to pay for a street repair, but that it wasn’t right to shift that expense to his or her neighbors.
“What I pay in my insurance bill goes to running the plant, not to an insurance policy,” he said.
Perkins said he would have village engineering firm MSA recommend an ordinance the village board could pass so that the new policy can be enforced.
In other board business:
_ Board members agreed to purchase a Dell computer for $1,627 for the police department. Police Chief Aaron Stencil said the computer could be used to store body camera video footage once the cameras are purchased. He said he continues to look for grants to offset the cost of the cameras.
Chief Stencil said he is looking for volunteers to help with a youth bicycle rodeo planned for the spring.
_ Board members voted to have the Finance and Personnel Committee conduct second interviews of four applicants for a village full-time maintenance worker opening.
_ Board members approved a contract with the Hall Bar and Bowl that includes a one percent increase in rent.
_ It was announced Christopher Guden will be a registered write-in candidate for Athens village trustee in the April 5 election.
_ Board members voted to allow James Weideman to connect his sewer lateral directly to a Kreutzer Street manhole, but only with a force main or grinder pump.
