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Avon Lake residents tell commissioners they oppose proposed 6119 regional sewer district plan
Summary
Two Avon Lake residents told commissioners that a proposed regional sewer district (referred to as 6119/Clearwater in local discussions) would be a poor deal for Avon Lake Regional Water and unnecessary for most customers.
During public comment at the Sept. 9 meeting, two Avon Lake residents urged the Lorain County commissioners to scrutinize a proposed regional sewer plan described at an Avon Lake City Council work session as a potential ‘‘6119 regional sewer district’’ (sometimes referred to in local discussions as Clearwater).
William Zimmerman of Avon Lake told the board he attended a work session in which a representative of Clearwater described a plan to create a regional sewer district. Zimmerman said the project would add only about 4% more customers to Avon Lake Regional Water’s service area and questioned why Avon Lake would give up control and turn assets over to a new regional entity.
Gerald Phillips of Avon Lake told the board he reviewed a feasibility analysis and an operations plan that had been shown to Avon Lake Council and concluded the proposal is ‘‘a terrible deal’’ for Avon Lake Regional Water. Phillips said the arrangement would transfer roughly $95 million in book value assets for a nominal lease payment (he described $2 per year plus debt service under the proposed terms) and projected cash flow on the feasibility study that he said was substantially lower than Avon Lake Regional Water’s recent audited cash flow. Phillips said Avon Lake Regional Water can contract for expansion without giving away assets and that, in his view, the proposal was unlikely to proceed at council.
Both speakers said they were speaking as residents of Avon Lake and not as county officials. Commissioners acknowledged the comments and referred technical questions to staff and the relevant local officials.
Why it matters: The comments reflect local concern about a proposed alteration of utility ownership and governance that could affect rates, assets and local control. The board did not take action on the matter at the Sept. 9 meeting; the remarks were part of the public-comment period.
The speakers requested information and encouraged county and municipal officials to review the feasibility materials carefully.
