About 70 people attended public hearings Thursday at the City Council building, expressing dissatisfaction with the recent increase in water quality fees on industries, institutions and businesses.
“Now is not the time to take on more expenses,” said Pryor Bacon, owner of Pryor Bacon Realty Co. “Everybody’s asking, ‘What are we going to do?’ Why isn’t anyone asking, ‘Why are we doing it?'”
An independent committee of the City Council that’s looking at the water quality, or stormwater, fee hike met Thursday and held two public hearings. The hearings were a precursor to the committee finalizing its report and handing it to the City Council in mid-February, said Bill Raines, committee chairman.
“We’re close to wrapping up our proposal, but before that we wanted to hear from the public,” Mr. Raines said.
A contingent of the public, mostly business owners, talked to committee members Thursday, saying they have felt the burden of substantial increases to their water quality fees.
The City Council has faced criticism since October 2009, when it voted to increase the city’s water quality fee on residences from $36 to $115.20 annually. Some business and institutions pay more because they can be assessed as multiple residences.
Chris Maughon, owner of Felton’s Clutch and Brake, said his fee went from $200 a year to $1,200 a year. He asked why the $200 he has paid since 1996 hasn’t helped.
“Why hasn’t this fixed the problem?” he asked.
“For whatever reason, the city fathers elected not to increase this fee until now,” responded Lee Norris, deputy administrator of the city’s Department of Public Works.
WHAT’S NEXTThe independent committee for the City Council that is looking at water quality fees will meet at 10 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3, at the City Council building.PUBLIC INPUTResidents and business owners brought many ideas to the independent committee. Some of those ideas included:* Raising credits for those who take steps to mitigate stormwater runoff* Contracting out some of the stormwater services to private companies* Building large lakes and wetlands to help mitigate stormwater runoff* Giving credits to those who carry state and federal water quality permitsSource: Water Quality Committee
Mr. Norris also said materials and labor went up in price, and there are more requirements for handling stormwater.
Tom Scott, a Chattanooga resident and former city employee, told committee members that he worked with the Department of Public Works and helped draft the city’s water quality program and permit.
“I started all this mess,” he said. “I helped get the bill passed.”
He said some who were asking for exemptions did not completely understand what the fee entails. It is not a penalty, he said, but something to help decrease pollution.
Nathan Hollingsworth, of NA Industries, said a significant portion of the business, which makes adhesives and sealants, has been laid off in the past year. More could come because of the increased water quality fees, he said.
“I don’t want anyone else to lose their jobs because of stormwater fees,” he said.