COAL GROVE – The water and sewer departments in this Lawrence County village could face financial problems if more money isn’t earned by the village.

Friday, February 08, 2002

COAL GROVE – The water and sewer departments in this Lawrence County village could face financial problems if more money isn’t earned by the village.

Coal Grove mayor Tom McNight said the village’s council and administration has been discussing the problem for several months. McNight said the water and sewage enterprise funds have not generated enough money in fees in order to meet expenses. To compensate, McNight said, the village has transferred money out of the general fund in order to shore up the utility departments.

McNight said the cost of chemicals and equipment has increased as well as the cost for health insurance which is "100 percent paid for by the village."

The mayor said that although costs have increased, the village has not raised water and sewer rates since 1996.

McNight said council and the administration needs to analyze the village’s budget and determine some way to generate more money for the funds.

McNight said the village has applied for grants from the state but has been denied for the last three years.

"We were ranked fifth to receive funds in 2000 and were told we would be funded," McNight said. "Then, they only funded four programs."

The same thing, McNight said, happened in 2001, and, he added, the village just learned it would not receive grant monies this year either.

In addition to increasing costs, McNight said the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has sent the village a notice that it needs to fix a telemetering unit – a device that monitors and alerts the station workers when there is a problem – on one of the lift stations and the village needs to buy a cholinator.

Council and the mayor will meet next Thursday at 6 p.m. for a work session.