Board agrees on utilities-ordinance edits and votes to seek PSC approval for $1,000 water connection fee

The Village Board discussed proposed edits to its water and sewer ordinances following questions from Logan Hoffman of Delta 3 and technical input from village staff. The board agreed to combine ordinance sections 1102 and 1106; specify that ownership of water service transfers at the curb stop rather than the curb (Keith Leitzinger confirmed curb stop); adopt a higher penalty for illegal sewage use set at $10 per day (the board selected the higher-penalty structure); and make sewer-lateral ownership the resident's responsibility to the right-of-way unless the sewer main lies outside the right-of-way, per discussion with Mark Digman.

Board members also instructed that all water and sewer rates — including fire-protection direct charges, quarterly public fire charges, service charges and schedule details — be published on the village website so residents can examine charges that will be implemented in the third quarter. The board then voted (motion by Alan Mergen, seconded by Dennis Moris) to apply to the Public Service Commission for approval to charge a $1,000 water-system connection fee after noting the previously attempted $500 fee had been disallowed and refunded. "Motion by Mergen, seconded by Moris, to apply to the Public Service Commission for approval to charge a $1,000 water system connection fee," the minutes record; the motion carried unanimously.

The changes recorded are primarily technical clarifications and penalty adjustments; the PSC application means the connection-fee decision is subject to state-level approval before the fee can be charged.