Follansbee water rate increase draws questions, complaints | News, Sports, Jobs - Weirton Daily Times

2022-09-24 06:15:56 By : Mr. SHUANGZHI DONG

HEARING HELD — Jack Rohrabaugh was among residents who expressed concerns about an increase to Follansbee’s water rate during a public hearing held Monday before a second reading for the rate hike. -- Warren Scott

FOLLANSBEE — A public hearing Monday on an increase to the city’s water rate drew questions and complaints, but Follansbee Council and other city officials maintained the move is much needed and approved it as well as a hike to the city’s building permit fees.

Before accepting questions and comments, Mayor David Velegol Jr. outlined the reasons for raising the base water rate from $6.84 per 1,000 gallons to $11.29 per 1,000 gallons.

Effective with November’s bills, the new rate applies to all customers, as the city doesn’t have tiered rates for residential, commercial and industrial customers.

City Attorney Michael Gaudio said the water department is operating at a deficit, and the increase is needed to correct that.

Velegol said the city’s water department lost about $420,000 in revenue with the closing of the Mountain State Carbon coke plant earlier this year but had earlier lost about $280,000 when the business, a major water customer, established its own water treatment system.

He said the city also must replace its aging water meters, which have become so ineffective city crews were forced to do 650 re-reads last month.

Velegol said at the same time, the city still owes about $280,000 of a loan taken for them.

The mayor said while the city has been awarded a $3.1 million grant from the Army Corps of Engineers for upgrades to its water treatment system, the city drew a 25 percent local match for it from its Urban Redevelopment Action Grant trust fund, which it must later restore.

Alfred DeAngelis, who was among members of the city’s water board also on hand, said the water department also has dealt with rising costs for equipment and materials.

He said a pump recently was replaced at a cost of about $65,000.

Velegol told those attending the hearing, “Nobody here around this (council) table wants to raise the rate.”

Resident Ruth “Rudy” Pearson said while she was among volunteers who established Follansbee Community Days more than 20 years ago, she suggested city funds allocated for it could be better spent alleviating its infrastructural costs.

She said council once provided about $30,000 toward the festival’s $100,000 budget.

But Velegol said its budget and the city’s contribution have since been reduced — to about $70,000 and $20,000, respectively. But he added state law prohibits the city from using general funds to support the water department.

Resident Jack Rohrabaugh said city officials should have raised the rate by $1 every two years, to lessen the blow, and should have anticipated the coke plant’s closing.

Velegol said while the city’s rates once were among the lowest in the state, they now fall somewhere in the middle.

He said city officials weren’t expecting Mountain State Carbon’s closing because the plant’s owners recently had invested $300 million in improvements there.

“Even employees there didn’t know they were going to shut it down,” said Velegol.

In February, officials with Cleveland Cliffs, its owner, said the company was reducing the use of coke in its production of steel in favor of other materials to reduce carbon dioxide emissions regulated by the federal government.

Some residents attended to ask about the impact of future changes on them.

John Chmielorski asked if property owners will be responsible for the cost to install the new meters and was told the cost for any new lines for the meters would be paid by them, but the meters will be purchased by the city to ensure compatibility.

Resident Duane Heck asked if lines in the Hooverson Heights area will be replaced, adding they are in poor condition.

Velegol acknowledged line breaks have been a recurring problem in that area and advised that of $9.2 million in improvements eyed for the city’s water treatment system, $5 million to $6 million is expected to be used for line replacements.

Following the meeting, the mayor was asked when the project is expected to start.

Velegol said designs for the first phase, estimated at $3.1 million, are in final review by state officials, and following a bidding process conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers, work seems likely to begin in the spring.

In other business, council approved the first reading of an ordinance raising the city’s building permit fees for industries to $50 for improvements costing up to $999 and $50 and $5 for each additional $1,000 in improvements.

The ordinance also raises building permit fees for others to $25 for improvements costing up to $999 and $25 and $5 for each additional $1,000 in improvements.

City Manager Joe DiBartolomeo recommended the move, noting under the city’s current fee structure, the most an industry might pay for millions in improvements is $1,000.

The ordinance is slated to undergo a second reading at council’s Oct. 10 meeting.

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