What's Happening in Youngstown, OH…

The Youngstown City Council decided to move its March 26 meeting forward and met on Monday, March 16, to approve the 2020 budget.

The budget passed by council was $8m less than last year, which had been higher due to the inclusion of $8.9m in the 2019 budget to complete federally mandated wastewater treatment plant improvements. In December 2019, a sewer rate increase of 4% was approved for five years due to Youngstown inability to obtain an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) loan to pay for the work.

The loan had been refused because of the city was unable to show it could pay back an EPA loan. As a result, the city was forced to utilize wastewater surplus money to pay contractors. However, following the approval of the increase, approval of the loans by the Ohio EPA enabled Youngstown to replenish the fund.

A flyer printing, mailed to all citizens, is one way municipalities can explain the rational for rate increases to their residents.

Despite the fact that council has not approved increasing the water rate by $10 per month and cutting the environmental sanitation fund an equal amount, this is reflected in the budget. Overall, $28.8m is the new wastewater budget, which is a reduction from last year’s $36.9m.

The water budget is $34.1m in 2020 compared to the 2019 budget of $35.5m.

A vote by council is anticipated in April, with the change becoming effective as of July 1.