Chelsea residents petition increase of sewer rates

A group of Chelsea residents attended the July 25 Shelby County Commission meeting to ask the commission for help combating steadily increasing sewer rates.

Connie Gilliland, whose address is in Sterrett, created an online petition about a month ago, she said, and received over 400 signatures. The petition noted an increase in sewer rates for homes on Double Oak Water Reclamation’s system.

“The cost of sewer rates in Chelsea and some of the surrounding areas has risen from $45 to $81 since 2009,” Gilliland read from the petition. “Double Oak Water Reclamation increases rates every year. At this rate, it will be over $100 a month within three years. We need to put a stop to the automatic rate increases.”

Gilliland also presented the commission with several questions, including if the Double Oak Water system’s rates were subject to review.

County Manager Alex Dudchock addressed some of Gilliland’s questions, and said he had received several similar inquiries before the meeting.

“The first inquiry was jurisdictional control. Does the Shelby County Commission have any rights, under any of their governing laws, general laws, local laws, to get into the regulatory business, either by way of an appointed review board or in a more regulatory manner? The answer is no,” Duchock said.

The Public Service Commission is the only entity that could regulate sewers, Dudchock said, and even the PSC can only do so with approval from the state legislature. Another sewer system in Shelby County, which includes the water treatment plant on Hugh Daniel Drive, is subject to a review board committee, but this is based on a contractual right, not a legal one, said County Attorney Butch Ellis. That right was established following a sale of that water treatment plant, Ellis said.

“Where does it rest, as far as sewer rates? It rests with a request having to go to the Shelby County Legislative Delegation, house members and senators, to say, ‘OK. Here’s a body, here’s a group of folks who are served by a private system — and there’s others in the state of Alabama — that would like to have whatever mechanisms are available to help them police how they’re getting their rates increased,” Dudchock said.

Gilliland said while she understood the commission cannot change the rates, the petition was asking the commission to stand up on the citizens’ behalf.

“I know that y’all can’t make them change the rates, but y’all have more power than we do as individuals, and so what we would like for y’all to do is try to get a meetings with Double Oak and possibly with the new mayor, with whoever is elected in Chelsea, this year, please, before the rates go up again,” Gilliland said.

She asked the commission to have a meeting between the different entities in order to see what incentives could be given by the county or the city of Chelsea to prevent the increase in the rates. Gilliland also said she has heard discussion that some businesses had closed, or chosen not to open in Chelsea, due to the high sewer rates. Dudchock said she had heard correctly on that matter.

Commission Chairperson Rick Shepherd said the county commission does not have much power in the state of Alabama, but that they would work to open up conversations in order to offer a unified voice to legislators. Commissioner Robbie Hayes, who represents Chelsea and surrounding areas on the commission, said he has already talked to two of the mayoral candidates about meeting.

“It’s going to take our legislature doing something to allow us to have any kind of power,” Hayes said. “… But there’s still strength in numbers and strength in governments, and it would take this organization as a county commission along with the city getting together.”

The commission said they would notify Gilliland when they began talks with the new Chelsea mayor.

Also at the meeting, the commission discussed a recommendation to create a to-be-named nonprofit entity to work toward the economic advancement of the county.  The new nonprofit entity would work with the Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce to support business recruitment and retention in Shelby County as well as develop relationships with stakeholders to facilitate development and job growth countywide, according to a recommendation written by the Shelby County Economic Development Task Force.

No action was taken on the recommendation, which was presented by the chairman of the Shelby County Economic Development Task Force, Bill Keller.

Also at the meeting, the commission:

► Heard a proposal for a new communication system for public safety agencies. The system would help create interoperability between public safety agencies, would cost around $7,047,800 and would include new radios and infrastructure. This cost would be divided between several entities, including the county, grant funding, municipalities and other entities. No decision was made on the proposal.

► Discussed the possible funding of a new transport van for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. County Chief Financial Officer Butch Burbage said based on average monthly spending, the Sheriff’s Office will likely be just under $500,000 over budget for the year. The new transport van, which costs $67,000, could be purchased using capital money that was approved at the start of the year. There’s about $204,000 left in that pot of money, Burbage said, and it can either be used to offset the amount the Sheriff’s Office goes over budget or used to purchase the new van, which would then be used to transport federal prisoners. Following several minutes of discussion, the commission decided to have Hayes and Commissioner Elwyn Bearden meet to discuss the matter and bring a recommendation to the commission. Burbage said while the commission does not need to take action on this matter, he hoped to have their guidance.

► Accepted resolutions for bids on gasoline, diesel and fuel services and on picnic tables and benches.

► Approved an alcohol beverage license request for Vocelli Pizza, which is located at 5479 Highway 280 South.

► Approved the creation of two full-time appraiser positions.

► Approved an ALDOT funding agreement for roadwork in Montevallo.