18 April 2016 Meeting with Lawrenceburg City Council
5:30 PM Public Hearing regarding new ordinance for fees for fire protection for all LMU residents including those in the township and outside city limits.
Present: Mayor Kelly Mollaun, Councilmen Tony Abbott, Mel Davis, Aaron Cook, Randy Abner, and Paul Seymour, and the city attorney- Del Weldon, Clerk Treasurer, Tyler Rainey, and Bryan Messmore, Administrator.
Olin Clawson,LMU Utility Director also present.
Register Publications editor- Joe Awad- covered the meeting also.
The audience had about 25 people present.
Public Hearing:
Mr Gensheimer- did not think that renters should be having to pay this tax on their water bill. They don't pay property taxes- the landlord does. This is a new tax on renters- and about 25% of residents rent.
Beverly Hon (sp?) wanted to know why it was necessary. Clawson said this is the most common approach throughout the state. there are caps on taxes and this is easier to handle when it is separated to the water bill. Hon said the township trustee told her that he had not been contacted by LMU regarding this fee.
Clawson said that the fire system is much more robust than LMS’s system.
Mel Davis said that if a pumper draws out of a hydration a 4 inch line it will suck it dry. LMU has a more robust system and it is tested.
Hon said that in reading the utility ordinance there are separate rate schedules for sewer and electricity in the rural area vs the city limits.
Clawson said that one of the goals of the utility is to get rid of those differences over time. They did the calculations using the 5/8 in meters. They then extrapolated the numbers to the other size meters.
Paul Seymour- Councilman- noted that they won’t be double charged - the tax will be reduced by this amount. But the schools ??
Olin Clawson said that the schools have currently been paying this charge already- even though they don’t pay taxes. There will be no new charges going to the school.
Ed Sizemore Kirby Rd- said that on his road- he wanted to know if they would be affected by this. No- he is on LMS for water not LMU. They got letters because they were required to be noticed if they were utility customers. They have LMU for electricity. They in essence over notified people.
Clawson explained that the cost of maintenance is because of the huge lines that they have to install to get the appropriate power. They have to have replacement costs as ongoing costs. It’s not just fire hydrant maintenance.
Tony Gilb- (former township trustee) asked about the LMS lines just being a 4 inch line- he said they were a 6 in line- but the hydrant connection is only 4 in per Mel Davis.
Another Kirby Rd resident asked- If they are on LMS- what fire trucks come to our street? Any one can can respond. testing on those lines is up to LMS on LMS lines- even if Lawrenceburg Fire responds to it. They were advised to give LMS a call to see when they maintain their hydrants.
Beverly Hon asked how you determine who gets changed. Answer- you have to have an LMU water meter to get the charge.
Geraldine Fay ?- has several properties and she did not get notified. Only the properties outside the city limits will see a new charge. She asked about Harriet Street off Wilson Creek. The charge will be $5.40/month.
Another citizen asked how they can be sure it comes off the taxes? It will come off the budget. The approximately $43,000 per year will be what is made from the county residents on Lawrenceburg Water lines.
Public Hearing closed at 6 PM as no one else had any questions.
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township\
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