Greene County utility board reviews hookup disputes, Briar Ridge connection and delays territory expansion vote

The Greene County utility district board approved its meeting minutes and financial report and spent the session reviewing system operations, a disputed private water hookup and a developer’s paid connection for a new Briar Ridge Innovation Park project — then deferred formal action on an expansion of district territory until Sept. 2 while staff seeks a joint application with the township trustee.

The financial report, presented during the meeting, showed recent receipts and payments and a year-to-date rise in contractual spending tied to a State Board of Accounts audit, a billing service fee and engineering work. The presenter said the district’s current cash balance was about $52,000 as of the day before the meeting. “We’ve had a few hookup fee payments — I think the biggest one was enhanced, paid their fee,” the finance presenter said.

District operations staff reported progress on two wastewater pump installations and work to replace parts at a farm lift station, and described a recent inspection of a private production facility that staff believe was illegally tied into the district’s water service. Operations staff said the facility had a…