A business owner blasted Bradford City Council Tuesday over the recently implemented stormwater management fee, wanting “to see a plan for all this money.”
Darla Oaks, owner of Between Four Walls on East Main Street, told council during its meeting that she understands that the fee is needed, but not in the way it is being handled.
“People get it. People know that it needs to be done,” said Oaks, who lives in Foster Township.
Simply, she said she wants to know how long –– and at what cost –– the fee would be in place.
City Administrator Teri Cannon said the initial plan called for 12 years; however, that might have changed, she said.
“We, as council, have no control over the storm water,” said Councilman Brad Mangel.
That falls under the purview of the Bradford Sanitary Authority, of which Mangel sits on its board.
During the meeting, Oaks compared places across the United States to Bradford, including Washington, D.C., which she said has a population of 681,178, is 68 square miles and has 900 miles of storm sewer.
“Washington charges a rate of $2.67 per ERU, which stands for equivalent runoff unit, for impervious surfaces,” Oaks said. “They have a tiered rate for residential buildings and $2.67 per 1,000 square feet of commercial properties.”
She pointed out that the average home in Bradford is likely less than 3,000 square feet, so the monthly charge would be $6.41 compared to Washington’s rates.
In addition, she pointed to Monroe, Ohio, which has a population of 13,473 and is 15.8 square miles. The fee for that municipality is $3 per month for residential and $5 for commercial.
Meanwhile, the 2011 census showed that Bradford has a population 8,369 and is 3.4 square miles with 35 miles of storm sewers, Oaks said.
Mangel and Mayor Tom Riel disagreed with her comparison of other places.
“We have no idea of the age of their infrastructure,” Riel said.
What’s more, he said that the fee can only be used for storm water-related purposes.
Riel said for information relating to stormwater management fee, she would need to consult with the Bradford Sanitary Authority.
In other business:
• Council approved 768-Roof, a division of 765-Deck LLC, to handle a roof replacement project at the Holley Avenue Multi-Tenant Center at a cost of $128,300.
• Council members accepted a $10,040.88 quote from Jamestown Glass Service LLC to replace three interior and exterior aluminum doors at the police station. The funds would come from the general obligation bond from 2012.
• A $4,800 quote from J.A. Frisina Inc. was approved to rehabilitate the intersection of East Corydon and Congress streets. The project includes the removal of brick, a concrete ditchline and asphalt application.
• Council approved a $1,695.76 payment to New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co. Inc. for pothole patching material.
• An expense of $1,017.53 to Emergency Medical Products Inc. for ambulance supplies was approved.
• Council approved a $2,984.94 payment to Casella Waste Management for debris disposal from the demolition of 47 S. Kendall Ave. and 157 High St. The money is coming from the city’s Office of Economic and Community Development’s Community Development Block Grant account.
