T-L Photo/SHELLEY HANSON PREPARING FOR the Martins Ferry City Council meeting to begin on Wednesday are, clockwise, from left, Mayor John Davies, Council President Kristine Davis, Council Clerk Kay McFarlan and Safety Director Jack Regis Jr.

MARTINS FERRY — Mayor John Davies asked city council to think about building a new sewage treatment plant, in coordination with other local municipalities in order to stop using the services of the East Ohio Regional Water Authority.

During a regular meeting on Wednesday, Davies said he is concerned with the way the authority is using the city’s water usage data in order to charge more for its services. Davies does not believe the communities the authority serves are being treated fairly.

Davies said he received a letter from EORWA’s director, Valerie Moore, stating that consumers would be charged 48 cents per 100 gallons after the first 2,375.

Previously, the rate applied after 2,500 gallons, he noted. He recounted a conversation with Moore where they disputed the facts, with Davies claiming the rate had been increased, and Moore denying it.

“I think something needs to be done. … I think we need to explore the possibility of purchasing our own treatment plant. I talked with some of these other entities and they would be on board. This would take a long time to build.”

Back in 2018, then-mayor Robert Krajnyak explained that EORWA changed its billing to be consumption-based, which was mandated by the Ohio EPA. However, EORWA uses the city’s water readings to determine how much water a household is using and eventually sending to its plant for treatment.

“I don’t like the situation we’re in. I looked at the contract over this. What I don’t like about it is: our meters, our labor, our expense if they break. We’re forced to turn the numbers over to them. They pay nothing for them and use our numbers to bill their profit. That’s not good business for us,” Davies said. “I feel like we cannot win down there. No matter what move we make, they make another move.”

Councilman James Schramm, who sits on the EORWA board of directors, spoke later in the meeting on the matter.

“The minimum consumption rates are set by the city of Martins Ferry, not by East Ohio water,” Schramm said. “The minimum allowable amount originally started out at 4,000 gallons. (Krajnyak and former service director Chris Cleary) reduced it to 3,000 gallons. Then it went from 3,000 to 2,500 gallons. And then apparently (they) reduced that to 2,375. What that did, they averaged all four communities — Martins Ferry, Bridgeport, Bellaire and Brookside — and divided that amount by four. … When they did that it didn’t do anything (for) the city of Martins Ferry,” Schramm said.

Davies noted the current total of minimum consumptions between the municipalities is 9,500 gallons — that number divided by four equals the 2,375 gallons.

“I don’t agree with the philosophy. To me, to do a price increase in business, you have to have a justifiable means to drive that increase — not because someone lowered their minimum or raised it,” Davies said. “It is supply and demand — unless you have a monopoly, which they have. You pay whatever they say and like it. That’s what’s been going on for a couple years. I don’t agree with it. … Whatever we charge shouldn’t reflect anything they charge.

“They have a number they need to make money at servicing sewage, just like we have a number we have to make to supply water. I don’t see that happening down there.”

In other business, council approved setting the annual salary for the street supervisor position at $35,000 per year. The former supervisor retired. Rob Duncan Sr. is set to start the position on Monday.

Council also unanimously voted to form an EMS Advisory Board. Rodgers abstained from voting. He declined to explain his decision after the meeting, but inquired before the vote about the wording of the ordinance related to the number of board members. He noted it stated five or seven would be on it. He believed the number should be more clear.

Davies said, including himself, the board’s current members include Ed Duke, Mary Greer, Jack Regis Sr. and Jack Regis Jr., who also is the city’s new safety director. He plans to get one more person from the community and possibly a representative in the future from East Ohio Regional Hospital if it re-opens.The safety director position being filled by Regis Jr. is part-time and pays $10,000 annually with no benefits.