NEW BOSTON COUNCIL REQUESTS MEETINGS WITH PORTSMOUTH CITY COUNCIL

As many of you may have read recently, our Village council is in the process of asking Village Solicitor Walter Lytten to coordinate a joint council meeting with the city of Portsmouth's council.

It has become increasingly clear over the last few years issues continue to evolve requiring cooperation between the two communities. Communication has not been as clear or effective between the two governments as it should be. I don't believe this to be the fault of either council or staff, I believe it to be the nature of political bureaucracy.

The past few council meetings at New Boston have resulted in requests by our council to Village Solicitor Walter Lytten to coordinate with Portsmouth Solicitor Mike Jones a joint meeting of the two councils. Especially at this time in our village I feel the position of both councils needs to be exceedingly clear on two particular issues: (1) the floodwall certification process and (2) sewer revenue operations.

The sewer problem in particular dates back to 1991 when the Village and city signed a 30-year contract agreeing that New Boston would maintain all of the sewer lines that pass through the village, and the city would maintain all of the sewer lift stations and the village would receive no revenue from the sewer rates.

Since that time, the city has added more sewer customers on Pleasant Avenue and Scioto County Engineers are planning a sewer project on Munn's Run in the Eden Park area that will pay the city to run through those same village sewer lines. We believe these customers weren't part of the original agreement and are adding more stress to our lines which we have to maintain with no revenue.

What we are asking for, but not agreed to by Portsmouth at this time, is 10 percent of the total sewage fee collected on New Boston residents. According to figures provided by Village Administrator Steve Hamilton, New Boston residents paid $300,000 in sewage fees to the city of Portsmouth last year, and 10% of that would be $30,000 in revenue to New Boston.

With regard to the floodwall certification, FEMA is wanting both Portsmouth and New Boston walls completed successfully so the entire floodwall system can be accredited. Although we know where New Boston is in regards to successful completion, we are not sure with Portsmouth. We have secured a $400,00o bond to insure successful accreditation of the New Boston walls. We want to be sure the Portsmouth walls do not endanger our success.

I believe we can no longer sit by without direct discussion with the Portsmouth council working out written agreements on these issues and several others. We need periodic meetings, quarterly at the least, between the two entities, and these meetings need to be with the best interests of citizens of both communities at the forefront.

Mike Payton
7-1-2012