T-L File Photo St. Clairsville Councilman Perry Basile, left, speaks with Council President Jim Velas in a past meeting. Last week, numerous utility issues were discussed.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The city is addressing fees and funding questions surrounding utilities and planned water upgrades.

During last week’s council teleconference meeting, Councilwoman Terra Butler, a member of the utility committee, said an ordinance will be put before the council next month pertaining to shutting off water services and applying a monthly fee.

“There’s a policy in place now, if we shut water off, if somebody goes to vacation over the winter … it’s a $50 turn-on and a $50 turn-off, and then they’re charged the monthly minimum amount even though they weren’t using any water,” Safety and Service Director Jeremy Greenwood said afterward, adding the city must balance its needs and expenses with fairness to the residents. “We’re kind of looking at that, seeing if there’s a better way than charging people minimums even though they’re not using the resource. There are fees and costs associated with this, even if somebody’s not pulling water. Even having the connections to our system, that costs fees, and our meters. Everything costs money.

“The labor to get somebody out there to turn our water off. … We’re not a for-profit company. We need to make enough to pay our employees and take care of the system and look at upgrades, but we’re not getting rich off the citizens by any stretch.”

“Also, there will be an increase in water coming up,” Butler said, adding the increase will be $1 per 1,000 gallons. “For 2,000 gallons, water and sewer will go from $45.48 to $49.48,” she said.

Greenwood noted the increase was included in a 2018 ordinance, which will cover 2019 through 2022 with the goal of making the city more eligible to apply for grants and loans by being able to offer more local matches.

Council also voted to again extend a waiver of the $50 utility reconnection fees for residents due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fees have been waived since April.

“We’ve been doing this on a monthly basis because of COVID,” Council President Jim Velas said. “Whether we’re going to charge a reconnect fee if there are disconnects.”

“We are not charging the reconnect fee for this month,” Butler said.

Council voted 4-3 to suspend the fees for another month, with Linda Jordan, Frank Sabatino and Mark Bukmir opposed and Perry Basile, Mike Smith, Butler and Beth Oprisch in favor of the continued suspension.

“As long as we are still working with people in true hardship, I vote ‘no,'” Jordan said.

“There is still a pandemic and people are hurting,” Oprisch said.

Afterward, Greenwood said the city typically averages 10 to 30 people who are late with their payments.

“The utility committee is very good and very responsive with being sympathetic with the pandemic,” Greenwood said, adding the city will continue to work with residents who have issues paying their utility bills and to connect them with agencies that can provide aid.

“There are still people we know of in the city that are laid off and aren’t working. That’s where we’re trying to go and work with people. … We have to be receptive to what’s going on,” Greenwood said.

The city is also putting residents in touch with the Home Energy Assistance Program, which is able to provide assistance during spring as well as winter.

After the meeting, Greenwood said the city had put in an application for an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency loan of $3.1 million for upgrading the water distribution system in preparation for the planned changeover from using the aging water treatment to purchasing water from Belmont County, in accordance with Ohio EPA mandates.

The connection with the county could be in effect next year, but older, leaking and accreted waterlines in the distribution system must be replaced.

“We’re looking pretty much from Sugar Street east, and repairing and replacing everything,” he said. “Right after that, we’re going to be looking at Phase 2 in another section of the city.”

He would not speculate when the city might hear if it has been approved for the funding. It could be a matter of months. Totally replacing the city waterlines could take eight to 10 years, he said.

In addition, Greenwood reported a second city worker at the water treatment plant has earned Class 3 water certification. Ryan Denham joins Jeff Mottle, who had also earned a certification of that level. Greenwood said the Ohio EPA mandates the city must have one Class 3 certified employee in the water department.