Sewage fees spark spirited debate in council

Heated statements filled the Lookout Park facility, the site of city council meetings, as members of council each voiced their approval of the resolution to oppose the passage of Ohio Senate Bill 58 which would authorize property owners in Oak Grove, Devola, and other areas surrounding Marietta to opt out of connecting their household sewage systems to a private, county, or regional sewage system. The proposed bill, if passed, would nullify a 40-year contract between the City of Marietta and the Board of Commissioners of Washington County.

“This agreement was an act of good faith between the two parties, I’m outraged that we now have to be at this position to protect our interests,” said Councilman Tom Vukovic.

Councilman Michael Mullen agreed, saying their resolution spoke for itself.

“We didn’t undertake a $30 million wastewater treatment update because it was the right thing to do, this was the EPA who forced us and the county to do this,” said Mullen.

Mullen was referring to the updates to the wastewater treatment facility in Marietta that have expanded its capacity in preparation for a higher intake of waste. If the bill were to pass, that facility, according to Assistant Safety-Services Director Bill Dauber, would not run efficiently.

“The system won’t work right unless it’s running at full capacity, it would not be efficient without enough people to supply the waste and pay for it,” said Dauber.

Councilman Michael McCauley called this piece of legislation the “last straw” and said that going around the city and up to state legislators was a “dirty game.”

“It looks to me like residents have gone to state legislature to bypass us. I don’t think Columbus has the slightest idea what’s going on in Southeast Ohio,” said McCauley.

Councilman Harley Noland agreed saying that the bill was “a gross overstep at the state level.”

“It smells like Washington, D.C.-style politics not Washington County-style politics,” said Mullen.

“All these expenses and now we’re expected just to say that our signed legal agreement is worth nothing,” said Noland.

“I’m trying to solve this problem without litigation but I’m tired of the games,” said the council’s law director Paul Bertram. “It’s time the county comes to the table with the city. I don’t give a damn what the EPA had to say, this was an agreement between the county and the city.”

After the conclusion of the meeting one Devola resident voiced her concerns about the resolution.

“That’s outrageous, how the hell am I supposed to pay for this,” said Laura Bradley, 49, of Devola to the council as they put away chairs and table linens.

Bradley’s concerns refer to the extra charges that residents would incur to join the regional sewage system. She said that her bill would be raised and that she might lose her home.

“Why should we pay for a sewer structure for a municipal system,” she said.

Vukovic answered Bradley saying that the charge from the city would not be directly to her as an individual, he said that the charges were already agreed upon by previous county commissioners.

He pointed at Bradley as he said “we’re not going after you, we’re going after the state. We trusted the county commissioners who signed the 40-year contract.”