After four years of talk, Clarkston and Independence Township are ready to settle their sewer-rate differences.
“It’s not good for the township, it’s not good for us,? said Clarkston Mayor Stephen Arkwright. ‘We just need to get this taken care of, so we can move forward.?
For the past 28 years, Clarkston residents have been paying the same quarterly rate for maintenance on their sewer, while Independence Township residents’ sewer rates increase almost yearly.
“There were no provisions in the old contract to increase the rate, and that’s what we’re doing is putting that provision in there,? said Linda Richardson, Independence Township DPW director.
The city agreed make a retroactive payment to Independence Township of $19.92 per quarter from July 1, 2007, to the present.
“They currently are still paying the $4.52, but we will now go back to July 1, 2007 and send them a bill for the new rate and credit them for what they’ve paid,? she said.
Richardson said the township pays Oakland County based on flow, so it is difficult to determine quarterly maintenance costs.
“It’s hard to make a determination on what the city is going to pay because it changes quarterly,? she said. ‘They’ll just pay based upon what our customers are paying, and that’s all based on a flow base.?
However, Richardson said the township will not be doing anything differently.
“We’re still going to monitor and take care of their trouble spots that kind of thing,? she said.
After tabling discussions at the Jan 20 city council meeting, Arkwright said he hopes to take action at the Feb. 9 meeting.
“I didn’t have the background information,? said Arkwright. ‘I didn’t know what all that was going to mean to us.?
After comparing the old contract with the new, he said it was a straight forward issue.
“The issue is how and when we’re going to make this up,? he said.
Arkwright said he wants to be able to audit the township’s numbers to verify the city and township are charged the same.