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Resident urges board to rethink $60 septic renewal fee
Summary
At the Sept. 11 Montgomery Board of Health meeting, resident Michelle Paris said the $60 septic renewal fee charged every three years is unfair to homeowners who maintain systems and asked the board to explain its purpose and oversight; board members said the ordinance aims to protect groundwater and encourage maintenance.
Michelle Paris, a Montgomery resident who gave her address as 325 Dutchtown Zion Road, used the public-comment period to challenge the township's septic-renewal fee, saying the $60 charge every three years penalizes homeowners who routinely pump and maintain their systems while others may avoid compliance.
Paris said she has paid the fee since 2001 after a septic failure and described a routine inspection she watched that she felt did not justify the recurring charge. "Nobody should be charged," she said, adding that she would rather donate the money to a family in need or the local food bank than pay the fee she believes is unfair.
Board members and staff responded during the meeting. One member noted that residents connected to public sewer pay annual sewer charges based on water use and are not receiving a "free ride." Health Officer Devangi Patel said the septic ordinance was developed to protect homeowners' and neighbors' groundwater by encouraging routine maintenance and extending system life; she explained the program works best when new systems are entered into the program and owners receive reminders to remain compliant.
Patel also acknowledged a population of noncompliant owners who require repeated reminders and late notices. The board president offered to follow up with Paris by email and to provide additional details to the resident and others who asked to be included in correspondence.
The board did not take formal action on the fee during the meeting; the public commenter requested further explanation and the health officer committed to providing more information to the resident by email.
