ARCHBOLD VILLAGE COUNCIL: Council Discusses Water Tower Maintenance & Utility Rates

While the evening’s agenda was light, the discussion centered primarily on water infrastructure expenses and utility rates.

As the council reviewed expense reports, Village Administrator Alt pointed out that a $42,310 invoice was paid for painting the water tower at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio (CCNO). He explained that as the owner of the tower, the village is responsible for maintenance.

Councilor Babcock questioned why the village is solely responsible for the jail’s water tower since it’s a regional facility that services multiple counties and municipalities. It was explained by Alt that the tower is a part of Archbold’s water distribution system.

Mayor Brad Grime offered background on the decision for the village to assume responsibility for the jail’s water tower, which occurred four to five years ago.

Grime recalled that at the time, there were extensive discussions among the CCNO Board, Fulton County Commissioners, and Archbold Village officials before determining that the village would take over ownership of the tower so long as CCNO made necessary improvements to the structure prior to that transition.

He clarified that the village did not pay for the water tower but rather assumed responsibility for its maintenance.

In a later discussion concerning the wastewater department, Councilor Dominique inquired whether or not an updated service agreement had been reached between the village and the Ridgeville Township Water and Sewer District (RTWSD).

“I think we are on track to get that agreement before you (the council) on March 17th meeting…We’ve gone back and forth a few times and came up with a rate that is healthy for the (wastewater) plant but is not going to cause a hardship for Ridgeville customers,” Alt confirmed.

“But it’s still gonna—it’s still a sizeable increase that’s coming. So, they’ll be reviewing that agreement on their end.”

If the agreement is approved by both Archbold and RTWSD, sewer customers who reside in Ridgeville Township will see a rate increase, aligning their wastewater service costs with those paid by Archbold residents.

While on the topic of utility rates, Alt shared with the council his thoughts on funding large water and wastewater projects.

“Utility rates are a very important thing, and I’ve talked about this in the past. Waterlines that aren’t in Archbold but are Archbold’s responsibility, and the very real reality of the fact that you could have an 8 million dollar distribution system from the county line throughout Ridgeville to CCNO.”

“It could even be a 10 million dollar distribution system, and there’s a lot of responsibility on the Village of Archbold.”

“When the water plant is not generating revenue that’s high enough to—I guess—put it this way—the sheer fact that improvements to the distribution system for water is funded out of income tax dollars and not your water bill. That says something. That says our rates are still not where they need to be,” continued Alt.

According to Alt, in 2015, Archbold spent $2 million on an Anion system, which did not correct the water issue. The village later invested $7 million in a granular activated carbon (GAC) system to address TTHM levels in the water.

With ongoing debt payments associated with the GAC, repairs, and distribution costs, the water plant’s budget remains tight, leaving only enough to cover treatment and maintenance but not major replacements or capital improvements.

“As time goes on, we’ll have to really talk about where those rates need to be and what we need to do to have the funding sources to be able to take care of it,” Alt continued.

“Same thing with wastewater – wastewater plant. It’s a healthier plant as far as what it takes to treat it. Obviously, there are some significant lift stations throughout town that, over time, will need to be upgraded and maintaining them alone.”

“There’s always going to be expenses that are ‘very real,’ I guess is how I would put it. We’ve had quite a few breaks, as you saw on Scott’s (Water Department) report. It takes money to repair those breaks, and it takes a lot of money to replace a line.”

“How do you plan for that and be proactive? Waterlines aren’t the most exciting thing to replace, but you gotta stay on top of them,” Alt concluded.

In other business, the council approved meeting minutes from February 17, the January 2025 financial reports, and the payment of bills and payroll in the amount of $864,786.

Alt added that the reporting function for the new financial software is back “on track,” and the January report now accurately reflects expenditures from that month.

In legislative matters, following a declaration of emergency, the council passed Resolution 2025-07, which amends the uniform and clothing allowance program for village employees.

The legislation also repeals all prior ordinances and resolutions pertaining to employee clothing allowances. Alt explained that the measure consolidates four separate pieces of legislation and does not change the approved budget amounts.

Alt provided a brief update on the February income tax report, noting signs of improvement. He explained that while income tax revenue had been down, January saw an increase, narrowing the overall deficit to approximately 3 1/3 percent. “I’m glad to see these numbers. It’s a good sign,” added Alt.

Other reports before the council for consideration were the Wastewater Treatment Plant 2024 Annual Report, Water Treatment Plant 2024 Annual Report, February 2024 Fire & EMS Calls for Service, and the February 2024 Fleet Report.

The next Archbold Village Council meeting is slated to take place at the municipal building on Monday, March 17, at 5:30 p.m.