Upon inspection, Independence Township opened what could be a financial can of worms.
At the Board of Trustees meeting on Sept. 19, township Department of Public Works Director Linda Richardson presented a review of sewer maintenance rates. A 25-year-old agreement cited in her report showed a disparity between the rates charged to township residents and City of Clarkston residents.
The rates applied to one Residential Equivalent Unit, or REU, is $4.52 per city resident and $19.90 for township residents. Those rates are applied to single-family homes on a quarterly basis.
Those revenues go to the township for repairs to sewer pipes, clearing clogged lines, checks on the lines and service to lift stations used in lower-lying areas.
‘We treat their residents like our residents,? Richardson said.
Township Trustee Daniel Kelly was the first to question the practice.
‘If our residents are paying $19, why are we doing this,? he said.
Richardson said the rate structure could be in part attributed to the difference in the amount of lineal sewage capacity because the size of the township dwarfs that of the city.
Kelly countered, ‘do our residents get more out of the $19??
Trustee Charles Dunn suggested closing the differential over a period of time.
Trustee Larry Rosso said an immediate increase, to make up for the nearly $14 difference, would be ‘monstrous.?
‘We’re balancing compassion and economics.?
Trustee Daniel Travis said, ‘that’s like a gift (the rate), I don’t know many things that have not changed in cost since 1981.
‘How did they get such a sweetheart deal??
The board voted to postpone any action on a sewer maintenance agreement with the city.
Fifty-year township resident Michael Clark requested permission from the board to speak on the matter.
‘Why did it take 25 years for this,? he asked.
‘We’re asking township residents to subsidize this cost for city residents.?
Clarkston City Manager Art Pappas said Richardson will be presenting him with a new draft of an agreement for the two entities.
‘Our board knows they’re talking about this,?