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Northfield adopts emergency ordinance amending sewer maintenance fee charges
Summary
Council adopted Ordinance No. 2025‑15 on April 23 to amend sewer maintenance fee charges. Service Superintendent Jason Walters told Council the Village's 14.1 miles of sanitary sewer and 17 miles of storm sewer make costs exceed current fee revenue; the ordinance was adopted as an emergency measure after suspending the three‑reading rule.
The Village of Northfield adopted Ordinance No. 2025‑15 on April 23, an emergency amendment to Section 1042.14 of the codified ordinances adjusting sewer maintenance fee charges.
Law Director Brad Bryan read the ordinance by title. Council suspended the three‑reading rule and then voted to adopt the emergency ordinance on a recorded roll call. Service Department Superintendent Jason Walters described what the fee pays for and why the change was necessary: the sewer maintenance fee funds equipment for servicing lines, rebuilding catch basins, jetting, and other repairs, and provides faster local response compared with relying on county services. Walters said the Village maintains about 14.1 miles of sanitary sewer and 17 miles of storm sewer and that the current fees do not fully cover the Village's costs.
Walters acknowledged resident concern about how fees are used and noted previous discussions about alternatives in which some communities pay county fees instead; Northfield property owners currently receive immediate service from the Village in return for the local fee. Council did not record any amendments to the ordinance at the meeting. The ordinance was adopted after suspension of the three‑reading rule and is recorded as an emergency measure in the minutes.
The Council did not provide a detailed fee schedule in the meeting record; the minutes note the ordinance amendment was adopted but do not specify the new rates.
