Four years later: Mansfield City Council still discussing water meter replacement issues

MANSFIELD — It was doubtful in 2019 when Mansfield City Council approved a citywide water-meter replacement program that lawmakers thought they would still be debating penalties for recalcitrant property owners four years later.

Yet, that was the case Tuesday night.

Council again discussed making changes to the city’s water rate ordinances yet again, this time assessing fees for property owners still using meters the city has tried to replace since lawmakers approved the change in May 2019.

The replacement process was slowed during the COVID-19 pandemic that began in March 2020.

Council members, most of whom were not in office when the project was approved, have expressed increasing frustration, however, that it’s still not done.

In May, Public Works Director David Remy told council 658 of the city’s more than 19,000 meters still had not been changed out.

The proposed legislation sought by council was discussed in caucus and is not scheduled for a vote until Aug. 15.

But in its current form, it sparked a brief exchange between Remy, an attorney and former city law director, and John Spon, the current law director.

“I believe very honestly that this piece of legislation is extremely appropriate. But it needs some major drafting cleanup,” Remy said.

“The first time I saw it was today. I’m willing to help do that, because it is a little confusing if you read it from a logistics standpoint — how to enforce it and what what is meant by certain things,” he said.

“I believe we need to identify what an ‘old’ meter is, what constitutes an ‘old’ meter. Those things have to be clarified. The concept is great. I think it does need to be cleaned up.

“That’s my professional opinion, having drafted a lot of legislation in my lifetime,” Remy said.

At-large Councilwoman Stephanie Zader asked Remy if could work with Spon’s office to make changes by council’s next meeting on Aug. 1.

Remy said he didn’t know if that was possible.

“I don’t know about the next council meeting. I’m being very frank and honest. I have a lot on the plate in the next two weeks. (Human resources) and I both do and we have some very, very significant issues to address in the next two weeks,” Remy said.

Zader expressed the frustration felt by many council members.

“We’ve been talking about this forever. These specific changes we’ve all known about for months,” she said.

Spon, whose office has been represented at council meetings by Deputy Law Director Chris Brown for the past few years, said his office can “only draft what we’re told we should draft.”

“There can be amongst council (members) and the administration five different views on a particular minute detail that may apply to all customers,” he said.

“So we would welcome a final agreement of a recommendation that would appear to be what the majority of council wants drafted in this legislation. So we can draft it, but not have to keep changing it,” Spon said.

Remy responded quickly, apparently pointing to the departure of Deputy Law Director Chris Brown to the Richland County Prosecutor’s Office in early August.

“With all due respect to the law director’s office right now, it is going to become short-staffed or reduced in size very shortly here with a move that’s going to be made.

“But I’m willing to work with Director Spon to try to re-draft this piece of legislation so that it meets the requirements it needs to meet and address counsel’s concerns that were brought up tonight,” Remy said.

Also on Tuesday, City Council:

— pulled proposed legislation that would regulate food trucks in the city.

— honored Mansfield Fire Department Capt. Brian Danals and firefighter Andre Cochran upon their retirements.

— approved the acceptance of an $800,000 federal grant through the Ohio Department of Transportation that would cover about 80 percent of the costs to build a multi-use trail along Millsboro Road between Trimble Road and Marion Avenue.

— reappointed Jennifer Pennell and Braxton Daniels III to three-year terms on the Mansfield Public Arts Commission.

— appointed new positions in the engineering division and retitling a position in the information technology division.

— transferred $26,100 within the safety services fund to pay for the training of three new police officers.

— raised the minimum fee charged to property owners when the city has to mow grass on privately-owned lots after being notified by the city. The minimum charge has been $100 and will be increased to $250 per employee per hour.