RUSS working on 28E agreement with county concerning Mt. Union

By Brooks Taylor, Mt. Pleasant News

Directors of the Regional Utility Service Systems (RUSS) were told Wednesday that a 28E agreement is being drafted between RUSS and Henry County concerning now-unincorporated Mt. Union.

?We are working on the Henry County/Mt. Union 28E agreement,? informed RUSS Executive Director Bruce Hudson. ?It is 98 percent complete and may be done before the end of the week.?

Initially, Hudson said the board could act on the agreement during its May meeting. However, Henry County Supervisor Greg Moeller, the Henry County representative on the RUSS board, asked whether the RUSS board could meet by conference call so the county could have more time to study the agreement.

?It?s pretty much straight forward,? Hudson said regarding the pact, adding he would arrange a conference call with board members after the agreement has been finished and looked over by RUSS board members.

The RUSS board also approved fiscal 2018 monthly rates for all of its systems, except Mt. Union. The rates are effective from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018.

Hudson said Mt. Union?s rate, which is now $150 per month, would be set after the 28E agreement is ratified by all parties.

Rate increases for all communities, with the exception of Ollie, were minimal. Hudson said he bases his increases on three variables ? electricity rates, lab testing costs and insurance expenses. Electric rates didn?t impact all of the systems, he said, but the final two variables did.

Residents of Ollie received the highest increase with monthly fees increasing from $45.41 to $50.26.

The increase, Hudson explained, is chiefly because of delinquent accounts in Ollie. ?There are a lot of people not paying their bills. I?ve had conversations with the city council but you can?t force people to pay. ?I don?t want to get into another three-year struggle with a community (as happened in Mt. Union). We have to keep operating and they (Ollie) are already $7,000 delinquent and we began operating the system just over a year ago.?

According to RUSS aging report, some $3,064.81 is 60 days or longer delinquent while $4,265.63 is owed on April bills, which are due April 15.

Residents in Mt. Union owe RUSS $35,124.31. Just over $28,000 of that total is over 60 days due.

Rate increases for the other communities with RUSS systems are as follows (2017 rate followed by the proposed 2018 fee): Argyle, $56.86, $56.95; East Pleasant Plain, $54.77, $56.39 (same increase for Pleasant Plain); Harper, $42.46, $43.51; Keswick, $43.69, $44.46; Kinross, $53.52, $56.59; Linby, $62.35, $63.34; Martinsburg, $45.51, $46.63; Mt. Sterling, $48.62, $52.54; Webster, $44.27, $46.64.

Board members also approved 2 percent salary increases for all RUSS employees, effective July 1, except Kent Hummell and Hudson. Hummell, who just received his certified level II wastewater operator license, will receive a $1.50 per hour increase retroactive to April 1 and a 2 percent increase July 1. The April 1 increase will raise Hummell?s salary from $18.64 to $20.14 per hour.

Hudson, for the second consecutive year, said he does not want a wage hike. ?I have to look at every penny spent. I?m okay with it (no salary increase), but next year I may not be. Employees are my main concern. I want to get them where they should be and keep them happy.?

During a recent board meeting, Hudson was given permission to purchase sheep to keep the grass trimmed at RUSS-owned sewage systems. However, now he isn?t sure sheep will be needed.

?We have someone in Parnell that is using sheep and he is willing to do it at two other plants (owned by RUSS). At another location, we are letting a farmer bale it if he mows it so sheep might not be necessary,? Hudson explained.

He said that if plans fall through, he would purchase some sheep.

RUSS board members meet again in regular session Wednesday, May 10, at 1 p.m. at the Henry County Emergency Management Building in Mt. Pleasant.