By Amanda Ensinger
Staff Writer
Franklin Township is giving up its fight with the Franklin County Commissioners and the Franklin County Sanitary Engineers related to sewer tapping fees.
At a recent board meeting, Franklin Township trustee John Fleshman made this announcement after expressing his disappointment that residents will have to pay approximately $3,800 to tap into the county’s new sanitary sewer lines.
“Basically, we are buying in to use the service lines,” Fleshman said. “This is the end of the line and as far as I can take this.”
Fleshman said the money residents pay to tap into the system would be used to pay bonds that were taken out to expand the facility. However, even though the trustees couldn’t eliminate the tapping fee residents throughout the township will have to pay, there are payment options.
Franklin County Sanitary Engineer Stephen Renner said households that qualify could get the fee put on as a tax duplicate on their parcel. The fee to tap into the lines would then be reduced by 10 percent every year for 10 years, Renner said.
“However, if you sell your home before that 10 years, you would just need to pay the remaining balance before you sell,” Renner said.
In the coming months, the county will have a public meeting and discuss a timetable for when residents must tap into the new lines. They also will discuss payment options. However, with over 600 connections, county officials said it will be at least 18 months.
In other news, the trustees approved allowing the fire department to spend $8,148 on new radios for a medic. The fire department also gave an update on several initiatives they are working on, including installing smoke detectors throughout the township.
“We are starting in the most southern part of the township and moving north to install smoke detectors,” said Chas Adams, Franklin Township assistant fire chief. “Our goal is have all the houses in the township done by winter. This is completely free and is part of our efforts to protect the residents of the township.”
The board also approved the hiring of a part-time police officer for the Franklin Township Police Department and agreed to allow the chief to fill three other open part-time positions.
