Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Utilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Village Board to seek PSC approval for $1,000 water connection fee and clarifies utilities ordinance
Summary
The Village Board unanimously voted to apply to the Public Service Commission for a $1,000 water system connection fee and agreed to a series of utilities ordinance clarifications, including moving ownership point to the curb stop and standardizing penalties for illegal sewage use.
The Village of Bloomington Board voted unanimously on Aug. 4 to apply to the Public Service Commission for approval of a $1,000 water system connection fee, after discussing changes to the village utilities ordinance.
Board members addressed technical and enforcement items raised by Logan Hoffman of Delta 3 during a review of the utilities ordinance. The board agreed to combine sections 1102 and 1106, clarify that ownership of water service transfers at the curb stop (Keith Leitzinger confirmed that the curb stop is the correct ownership point), and standardize penalty language for illegal use of the sewage system to a $10-per-day charge (about $3,650 per year) for consistency across the code.
The board also directed that sewer lateral ownership generally extends to the public right of way unless the sewer main is located outside the right of way, and opted to keep customer charges by classification rather than converting to residential equivalent units. Members further agreed to continue allowing garbage disposals and the use of drains, while noting that grease problems are more often business- than homeowner-related.
Robert McLimans presided over the discussion and Alan Mergen moved the motion to apply to the Public Service Commission; Dennis Moris seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
Board members discussed that the village previously charged a $500 connection fee that the Public Service Commission disallowed and refunded; the PSC application is intended to authorize a revised $1,000 charge moving forward. The board requested that water and sewer rate schedules, including fire protection direct charges and quarterly public fire charges, be published on the village website so residents can see the new charges expected in the third quarter.
The decision sends a formal application to the Public Service Commission; any change in connection fees will depend on PSC approval and related administrative steps.
