PIQUA – The Piqua City Commissioners heard ordinances involving various changes to the Piqua code regarding rates and fees in various departments at their meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 4.
Ordinances require three readings before commissioners vote on the ordinance. At the Oct. 4 meeting, commissioners heard the first reading of eight ordinances presented.
The first was on changes to sanitation rates and fees. No rates are proposed to change in 2023, other than residential rates. The change introduces residential rates based on trash cart sizes and trash generated. For example, the small size (35 gallon) is proposed to have a monthly rate of $20.14. The standard (current and medium -96 gallon) will continue the current rate of $22.38. The large size (192 gallon) will have a monthly rate of $24.62.
There will also be changes to fees seen for cart replacement, special pick-ups, cart size exchanges, penalties and other services.
The next is for services within the wastewater department. There are proposed changes to permit application fees. The 1-inch proposed fee would be $1,500. The 2-inch would increase to $4,000. The 4-inch would increase to $8,000. Greater than 6-inches would increase to $20,000.
Customer after-hours services calls are proposed to increase to $100 if the citizens is at fault.
Another ordinance addresses water rates and fees changes. There are no changes to monthly rates for 2023.
There are proposed fee increases for service fees and meter inspections for both residential and commercial. Similar to wastewater, after-hours customer calls will increase to $100. Meter testing, annual back flow re-certification, and laboratory outside customer fees will also increase.
Stormwater rates are proposed to increase by $.30 to $7.
The Echo Hills Golf Course rates and fees were also proposed for 2023. There are no proposed changes to the membership fees and most of the golf course rates. There are proposed increases to the weekend rates of $2 for both the 9-hole course and the 18-hole course, for totals of $18 and $25.
Rental fees for various structures in some of the parks are proposed to see an increase of $25 for each rental.
The department of development also proposed changes to application fees for their services in annexations, plat submissions, construction plans, and zoning services. According to Director Chis Schmiesing, the rates will be comparable to other cities and will help cover the cost of the services done by the department.
Then, the commissioners hosted a work session on Thursday, Oct. 6 to discuss capital improvements projects.
Representatives from various departments presented numerous, proposed projects with estimated costs for the next three years, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Each project is ranked based on different criteria such as planning, infrastructure, economic growth, external funding, and health/public safety.
Some of the projects include the low head dam removal and river restoration, Lock 9 improvements, East High Street and the downtown Canal corridor parking lot improvements, street surface treatments, Cornerstone sewer expansion, Piqua-Miami County water main connection, Swift Run Dam safety projects, and Echo Lake Dam safety projects.
For more information on the ordinances or the proposed projects, contact the city of Piqua at 937-778-8300.
