Hebron council authorizes solicitor to draft bulk‑water agreement renewal with Licking County

The Village of Hebron on Feb. 26 moved to authorize Mayor Valerie Mockus to enter a renewed bulk water sales agreement with Licking County, directing the Village Solicitor to draft the necessary legislation.

Village Administrator Jung‑Han Chen told council the renewal under consideration would run five years with a possible extension up to 15 years and include a provision allowing the Village to give one year’s notice to cancel. Councilmembers voted in favor of directing the Solicitor to prepare the agreement; the motion was made by Jerry Carpenter, seconded by Stacy Stoner and carried unanimously.

Councilmember Kenney Nauer questioned whether the rate for customers outside the village should be higher than the in‑village rate. Mayor Valerie Mockus responded that supplying outside customers does not require the village to provide meters, taps, maintenance or billing the way in‑village service does, and cautioned that pressuring a large customer could encourage them to seek service elsewhere. Jung‑Han Chen said the Village is not at capacity and that planned consumption from a large user previously expected to push utilization toward about 70% has been scaled back, and that the Village can renegotiate terms if it approaches capacity.

Attorney Jarod Rose said a clause proposing differential rates had been proposed in negotiations but the counterparty was unwilling to accept it at this time.

The Council’s action directs the solicitor to draft the ordinance authorizing Mayor Mockus to execute the renewal; the drafted legislation will return to Council for formal consideration and a recorded vote before the agreement is finalized.