Perrysburg City Council approves combined 4.7% rate hike on water, sewer rates

Perrysburg City Council president Joseph Lawless, left, looks over the minutes of the Health, Sanitation, and Public Utilities Committee as its chairman J. Todd Grayson, right, reads them into the record at the city council meeting Tuesday.

Perrysburg City Council today unanimously approved a slew of ordinances related to basic utilities for city residences and businesses.

The city will contract with HGACBuy, an arm of the Houston-Galveston Area Council that assists government entities across the country with purchasing goods and services, to lease 14,000 Toter bins for the automated refuse and recycling program it will institute.

Service director Jon Eckel said the city will order 13,400 96-gallon Toters - half for refuse and half for recycling - as well as 600 48-gallon containers that could be given to customers who don't need as much space for their items.

"We're going to be [accommodating]," he said.

The new containers will cost $719,880.

Council also approved a combined 4.7 percent increase in water and sewer rates that will be spread over the next four years, as well as determined corresponding capital expansion charges to tap into the sewer line system for the same time period.

In other matters, council:

- Approved the 2013 budget, with projections of $17,478,266 in revenue, $18,002,981.60 in expenditures, and a $524.715.60 draw from the general fund to cover the deficit, leaving a balance of $510,333.31.

- Amended the zoning of the Kerr Annexation at 12972 Five Point Rd. to single-family residential.

- Heard from city administrator Bridgette Kabat that a list of organizations that could help city residents with public transportation needs following the failure of the transit levy Nov. 6 has been posted on the city's Web site at www.ci.perrysburg.oh.us under its News drop-down link.

- Voted 6-1 to approve the rehiring of Mark Dunsmoor as water superintendent, effective today. Councilman J. Todd Grayson voted no. "It's a retire-rehire situation," he said, objecting to the drain on the state pension fund. He said he was glad Mr. Dunsmoor would continue to work for the city.

Contact Rebecca Conklin Kleiboemer at 419-356-8786, rconklin@theblade.com, or on Twitter @RebeccaConklinK