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Stormwater utility creation could cost residents $6 a month
Creation of a City of Greencastle stormwater utility could see residents facing a $6-a-month addition to their utility bills.
A stormwater system is designed to help prevent flooding and limit pollutants flowing into rivers and streams. A property owner’s stormwater bill would fund the costs of operations such as street sweeping, manhole and storm sewers cleaning as well as maintenance, capital projects and planning for any future system expansion.
While creation of the utility itself has not been voted on yet by the Greencastle City Council, councilors were asked at their recent August meeting to provide some guidance for Mayor Bill Dory on how they wish to proceed with a monthly addition to residents’ utility bills.
Council member Stacie Langdon noted that Greencastle is one of the few cities that does not already charge for stormwater management.
The towns of Cloverdale and Fillmore already do, Mayor Dory noted.
Many communities have enacted such a measure 20 years ago, City Attorney Laurie Hardwick pointed out.
Residents would be charged with a flat fee -- suggested at $5, $6 or $7 a month to begin discussion -- while business properties would be charged a rate based on the impervious surface area of each property. Impervious surface is a term used for how much property is covered by impenetrable materials such as asphalt, concrete and roofing materials.
A small business might only see a $5-$10 fee, Mayor Dory said, while large business properties may be liable for several thousand dollars. The fee would apply to churches and schools, including DePauw University, it was pointed out.
Proceeds from the fee, the mayor said, could repair some of the “existing problems in some of our neighborhoods.”
“The need is there,” the mayor said. “There’s no argument. We’re responsible for both stormwater quantity and quality.”
Councilman Dave Murray, suggesting the “numbers are a drop in the bucket,” said he would like to see the city begin with a $7-a-month rate.
Estimated annual income on a $7 rate would be $1.03 million, according to figures presented by the mayor. A $6-a -month fee would produce $885,600 annually, while $5 would raise $738,000 a year, it was noted.
“My personal lean is to start with $5 and see what the impact is,” Langdon offered.
Councilman Russell Harvey, meanwhile, agreed with Murray and suggested the city start with $6 or $7-a-month rate.
“It’s already expensive to do the things we’re doing and it’s not going to be any less expensive later,” Harvey reasoned. “We’re only talking about a buck or two. Nobody’s going to be happy to give it up regardless.”
Councilor Veronica Pejril suggested meeting in the middle at a $6 rate to start.
“Recognizing Stacie’s point, we need to get our foot in the door,” Pejril said, relative to the potential for parlaying local funds into grant dollars. “We’ve already identified many stormwater needs in the community, and I don’t want to leave here tonight without establishing the utility. It’s a public good that this community needs sooner rather than later.”
Councilman Darrel Thomas made to motion to recommend bringing forward a stormwater utility rate of $6 a month, increasing (at 25 cents per year) to $7 within four years. Councilman Murray seconded the motion, which passed by a 4-2 margin with Thomas, Murray, Pejril and Harvey voting in favor and Langdon and Cody Eckert against. Council President Mark Hammer was absent.
Mayor Dory reminded the group that “we’re not locked into it yet.” The vote was not to establish a stormwater utility, just to pinpoint a rate option that will allow city officials to help explain the stormwater utility situation to the public.
In other business, the City Council:
• Learned that the county’s multi-hazard mitigation plan, which includes the issues of wildfires, tornadoes, flooding and extreme heat and cold, has expired and is being redone. Lisa Zeiner of the Putnam County Emergency Management Agency presented copies of the revised plan to the Council, giving members a month to review it before it appears on their agenda for approval in resolution form in September. The county, Cloverdale, Roachdale and Russellville have already approved the revised plan, Zeiner reported. The revision “is very similar” to the old version but adds active shooter situations and public health pandemics, she said.
• Approved downtown street closures for 5-7 p.m. Oct. 31 for Halloween on the Square, sponsored by the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Greencastle.
• Established Greencastle trick-or-treat hours as 5-8 p.m. on Oct. 31.
• Authorized relocation of the Farmers Market to the Jackson Street parking lot from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26 due to the Greencastle Music Festival on the square.
• Approved closure of the northbound lane of South Indiana Street for A & D Plumbing to repair a leaking water service in front of Scoops ice cream on Aug. 22. While the closure was granted for 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Aaron Montgomery of A & D said it will likely only be “a couple of hours,” hopefully reopening by noon.
• Approved street closures Sept. 1-2 for the Putnam County Comprehensive Services Green Light Arts Festival during both First Friday and the Farmers Market. The closure on East Franklin Street will extend past Lost Hollow to the entrance to the bank parking lot. PCCS spokesman Andrew Ranck said 40 artists are expected for the event.
• Granted the closure of Hanna Street between Indiana and Jackson streets from 7-10 p.m. Aug. 24 for a Welcome Back Party hosted by the DePauw University Center for Diversity and Inclusion.
• Heard Deputy City Clerk Melanie Welker report that the city’s fall heavy trash day is scheduled for 8 a.m.-noon Saturday, Sept. 30 at Republic Services. Disposal of heavy trash items will be free to city utility customers.
• Heard Councilman Murray question the status of the proposed city contract with Putnam County Hospital on its desired 11,000-square-foot space at the wellness center/YMCA. “We’re very close, we’re making great progress,” City Attorney Hardwick responded. “We’ve been working on it.” That spawned a response of “We’ve been working on it for eight years” from Murray.
• Heard Park Director Greg Ruark report that he and Assistant Director Chrysta Snellenberger have talked about increasing the aquatic center schedule by a week next year. He said the city pool was open for 10 weeks this year and he’s been “thinking we might be able to squeeze 11 weeks out of it next year, depending on the education calendar.” Pool operations are contingent on having the requisite number of lifeguards to safely operate and the availability of those guards decreases dramatically once school starts and fall athletic practices begin.
• Heard Ruark further report that Phase II of the Robe-Ann Park renovation will result in the park being “different and better.” The park also will be “safer and ADA compliant,” he said, adding that he is “really, really excited about what Align Engineering has done.” Ruark added that “the critical issue for me is that it’s ready for spring 2024.”
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Greencastle City Council is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14 at City Hall.