IRONTON – Aqua Water has proposed to purchase the Union-Rome Sewer District for $ 25.5 million.
The offer was made to the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners on August 18, 2020, according to a letter from water system officials.
The wastewater district serves approximately 5,000 customers in eastern Lawrence County. According to Chris Kline, district administrator and assistant district auditor, the board received and filed the letter during a meeting on Tuesday.
“We are viewing this offer as a starting point for more formal discussions with the county. The final offers will be part of any response to the county qualification and / or request for quotation as part of a formal bid process,” said Aqua Water Officials, including Edmund P. Kolodziej Jr., President and Chief Operating Officer of the company.
The company has written proposed spending $ 10 million in the first five years of the acquisition and at least $ 13 million in the first ten years.
Aqua Water would work with the county to negotiate a predictable and reasonable tariff plan locally for wastewater customers for the first five years, the letter said.
Future rate increases would be negotiated with the county, although either party would have the option of requesting the Ohio Public Utilities Commission to set rates according to the proposal.
Current employees would be offered positions at Aqua provided the employee passes routine background checks as proposed.
Existing customers could see a 25% increase per year for the first year and a 10% increase for the next four years and a 3% increase for each of the next five years, the proposal suggests.
In another move, the board donated $ 600,000 in tax revenue from ambulance tax for ambulance improvements, Kline said.
- James Nyberg hired as a part-time medic.
- Signed a contract with Morrow County to hold Lawrence County prisoners at a cost of $ 65 per day.
- Asked the Ohio Department of Transportation to do a speed study on 6 County Road.
- Approved the reappointments of Larry Wood, Danny Holschuh, Gary Riley, and Ron McClintock to the county planning committee through late 2024.
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