The slightly-discounted monthly water bills Oxford Village residents have enjoyed for more than a year will end next month.
Citing the increased costs of compliance with unfunded federal mandates as the main reason for the action, the village council Tuesday voted 4-0 ‘to eliminate the $2 (per month) water credit effective on water bills dated after July 1, 2003.?
Village President Steve Allen voted in favor of the motion, adding that he did so ‘with regrets.?
Since April 2002, the village’s 1,221 water customers have received a $2 credit on their monthly water bills thanks to revenue derived from two lease agreements allowing cellular phone and pager antennas atop the water tower on Glaspie.
The village derives $25,200 per year ($2,100 per month) from the cellular phone antenna lease and $5,748 per year ($443 per month) from the pager antenna lease.
The idea of returning the revenue from these lease agreements to village water customers was conceived by former Councilwoman Lynda Brown.
In a memo to council, village Manager Mark Slown stated, ‘Due to increased costs to comply with unfunded federal environmental protection regulation, the credit must be eliminated or else the water fund will be unbalanced.?
Slown told this reporter that new federal storm water management regulations aimed at preventing the pollution of local groundwater tables will cost the village an estimated $20,000 for just the initial planning and public education required for compliance. He said the actual cost of implementing a plan is presently ‘unknown? because it’s ‘unclear exactly what (the village) will be required to do.?
Other than increasing water rates or dipping into the water fund, the manager told council that eliminating the $2 water credit was the only way to help pay for complying with these new regulations.
However, Slown said the ‘good news? is the credit will ‘go toward protecting the water, which is priceless really.?
Allen agreed stating that water is a ‘local resource? and he’d ‘hate to see anything happen to it.?
Allen noted that Councilwoman Renee Donovan was ‘absolutely right? when she ‘warned? council last year that the water credit would eventually have to be repealed to cover unanticipated costs.
Donovan said that she’s ‘unhappy? with the increasing number unfunded mandates from higher levels of government.