The Trumbull County Board of Commissioners have tabled a proposed water rate increase for county residents.

County commissioners were originally scheduled to vote on a resolution to raise water rates $12 per thousand gallon effective April 1, 2025. This would increase to $12.25 at the beginning of 2026 and $12.50 at the beginning of 2027.

The resolution would also increase the replacement improvement fee for each account from $2 to $5. That $5 rate would remain in place for each new year.

This would be the county's first rate increase in 10 years.

However, commissioners unanimously voted during the meeting to table the issue with commissioners saying they are still awaiting homestead exemption rates in order to exempt senior citizens on fixed incomes from the rate increase.

This increase garnered mixed reactions from commissioners with Board Chair Rick Hernandez saying this increase needs to go into effect or else the county will go into a fiscal emergency.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Tony Bernard is against the rate increase saying he would like to see employees cut rather than raising water rates on residents, and Commissioner Denny Malloy says he wants more data before he votes one way or the other.

Other townships throughout Trumbull County have voice spoken about this increase.

"We need a good, sound business decision to be made, and the commissioners just keep kicking the can down the road and don't want to make these decisions," said Michael Hovis, Bazetta Township trustee chair.

"It goes back several years that this discussion has been out there, but it's been tabled for quite some time. And now we're at the 11 hour and it's quite concerning to us," said James Pantalone, Howland Township administrator.

Hovis and Pantalone agree that not enough due diligence has been done.

"I don't feel that they dug in deep enough to make sure that the performance audit has been reviewed, they've looked at every option. You know, do we have to immediately jump into the highest rate," said Pantalone. 

The current proposal affects seven communities, moving all of their rates to $12 per 1,000 gallons. For those living in Howland township, this is over an 80 percent increase.

"It is a large hit all at once that should have been addressed previously," said Pantalone.

Seven communities could be affected by the water rate increase: Bazetta and Champion, Braceville, Howland, Mineral Ridge, Mosquito Creek, Southeast and Warren Township.

Communities with their own water systems would not be affected.

Conversations surrounding the proposed water rate increase have been happening in multiple communities. Bazetta Township voiced opposition to it, while Liberty Township tabled a resolution opposing it seeking more information from commissioners before deciding on a stance. 

You can read more about what those townships had to say in our related coverage below.

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