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Bettsville council approves engineering work for water meters and sludge project, discusses $5 utility charge
Summary
Bettsville council approved $2,100 for engineering to support a water‑meter grant application and approved $115,000 for engineering on a sludge dewatering pad; members discussed returning interest to utility funds and a proposed $5 monthly capital charge for utility customers, with public outreach planned.
The Village of Bettsville on Nov. 5 approved two engineering expenditures aimed at shoring up water and wastewater infrastructure and discussed a proposed small monthly utility charge to build a capital reserve.
Council voted to authorize $2,100 to fund an engineering package from an engineering firm to support a grant application for replacement/remote-reading water meters. Council members said the village needs an up‑front engineering study to attach to grant requests and that Renee (staff) will help prepare grant materials.
The council also approved moving forward with a larger engineering engagement for wastewater management. Peterman’s Associates was identified as the engineering consultant to design a pad-and-bag dewatering system for biosolids; council heard the $115,000 engineering authorization is intended to produce drawings and the permitting package necessary to seek EPA approval and to reduce hauling costs over time. Members noted recent sludge hauling had cost nearly $10,000 and estimated ongoing costs could drop to about $5,000 per year after the project is implemented.
Separately, council members discussed how interest earnings from Star Ohio and bank accounts have been posted to the general fund rather than proportionately credited to water and sewer funds. Members asked village staff to prepare a resolution to direct the proportionate share of interest back to the water and sewer funds beginning with the prior year, and asked the clerk (Alex) to draft the language for the next meeting.
Councilors also debated a proposal to add a $5 monthly dedicated capital charge on utility bills (increasing the service charge to roughly $8) to build a long-term capital reserve for water-system repairs and a future water tower. Members framed the fee as a less costly alternative to an across-the-board rate study and said they will present the idea publicly before taking action.
The actions approved at the meeting were limited to the engineering expenditures; no fee or ordinance changing customer bills was adopted at this meeting. Next steps include preparing the grant engineering package, moving forward on the wastewater engineering design and permitting, and posting a draft resolution on interest allocation for consideration at the next meeting.
