Burton council hears higher legal costs as sewer and water enforcement rises

Finance Chair Smith told the Burton City Council at a budget workshop that there are “no significant changes” to sewer revenues but that legal costs for the sewer department are rising because the city has increased enforcement of illegal connections.

The matter matters because staff said the department is taking more enforcement actions for sump pumps and cross connections that can require court appearances, and those efforts are driving higher legal expenditures in the sewer budget. Council members pressed staff on the Fourth Amendment implications of household inspections and asked for detail on how the water fund’s reported balance is composed.

“Okay. Today, we're gonna be discussing sewer, water, related capital improvements for water and sewer, governmental building needs, motor…