Village to review laundromat sewer charges after owner warns $100-per-washer fee could force closure

During "other" business, a council member reported that the reopened laundromat’s operator informed village officials that Stark County Sewer intends to charge a flat fee of $100 per washer per billing cycle for sanitary sewer use. The operator told council that level of fee could make the business unsustainable and that, if billed at that rate, the owner might close the laundromat. Council members said the sewer charge as described appears to be a flat per-machine fee rather than a charge based on gallons used. One council member said the village will gather the laundromat’s past water-use and billing records and provide them to the owner and Stark County Sewer ahead of a planned meeting. "We'll get with the owner, get the dates, and then definitely share that," a council member said. Officials noted that charging a laundromat a high flat rate may shift residential sewer usage (residents who now use the laundromat would otherwise use home sewer capacity) and that the village should support a local business committed to investing in the community. The council agreed to attend the meeting with Stark County Sewer to review meter data and billing methodology. Ending Council staff will obtain water-usage and billing data for the laundromat and share it with the owner and Stark County Sewer prior to the meeting; council members expressed willingness to participate in the discussion to try to resolve the dispute.