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Brooklyn Heights to consider Ordinance 61-2026 after county warns sewer assessment lags costs
Summary
Cuyahoga County officials told the Village of Brooklyn Heights Finance Committee maintenance costs for the village sanitary system now exceed assessment revenue; council agreed to proceed with consideration of Ordinance 61-2026, which would address assessment rates and reserves.
The Finance Committee of the Village of Brooklyn Heights heard from Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works officials on June 2 about Ordinance 61-2026 and the county's role in maintaining the village sanitary sewer system. Cuyahoga County Engineer David Frey described a maintenance agreement in place since 1983 under which the Village retains ownership while the County performs inspections, cleaning, regulatory reporting and operator-of-record duties at the Village's request.
Melanie Seay, administrator of operations and finance for the Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works, told the committee the county collects the sanitary sewer assessment through property tax duplicates and that "the Village's current assessment rate of $1.75 per linear foot has remained unchanged for more than 20 years." Seay said revenue and expense figures show maintenance costs "have consistently exceeded the revenue collected," and she presented several rate-increase scenarios intended to cover ongoing maintenance, establish a reserve for future capital improvements and reduce reliance on the Village General Fund for major sewer expenses.
Village Engineer Zoldak clarified that the sanitary sewer assessment fund is the Village's money and that a positive balance would let the Village fund future sanitary sewer or drainage projects while still using county maintenance services as needed. County staff described a scheduled five-year jetting and television-inspection program, emergency response procedures and said the county does not add profit to its charges, with assessments covering the actual cost of services.
Councilman Schuckert questioned the Village's system classification; county representatives explained the Village is considered a Class 2 collection system because its wastewater is conveyed to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's Class 5 treatment facility. After audience questions and council discussion, the committee decided to proceed with consideration of Ordinance 61-2026; the transcript records that decision but does not show a formal roll-call vote.
The ordinance and any proposed assessment changes will return to the council for formal consideration. The committee adjourned after the discussion.
