Officials to consider pay-per-inspection plan to offset estimated loss

BY JOE GIESSLER
The Eagle-Gazette Staff

Published March 3, 2009

FAIRFIELD COUNTY - Residents no will longer pay an annual fee for septic system inspections beginning in 2010.

The District Advisory Council of the Fairfield Department of Health voted Monday, 18-3, to remove the fee of $40 charged to about 5,500 county residents for checking their aerobic septic systems.
The decision led to a round of applause from the estimated 40 residents who filled every seat in the meeting room for the two-and-half-hour meeting.

Berne Township Trustee Jim Carmichael stopped paying the fee because his system was inspected only once in a four-year span, causing the health department to issue a lien on his property.

"Residents are willing to pay if there is a service," Carmichael said at the meeting. "But if there is nothing in return then it is unacceptable."

He said he gladly will pay his bill, including the $15 late fee he was issued.

Health officials said a committee will develop a new septic program, such as a pay-per-inspection fee, to compensate for the estimated loss of $200,000 in annual fees.

Several members of the District Advisory Council said they would support a pay-per-inspection fee charged to residents.

The District Advisory Council, which consists of officials from each Fairfield County township, village and city, meets once a year to approve funding for the Health Department.

Fairfield Department of Health Commissioner Frank Hirsch said a new program must be finalized by April 1, which is the deadline to approve the 2010 budget.

Hirsch said the department has considered ideas such as a pay-per-inspection program or outsourcing the inspections to a company.

The Fairfield Health Department conducts about 1,730 inspections a year. Hirsch said he would not increase the number simply to generate revenue.

Hirsch said the department will consider raising the fee for a pay-per-inspection or including non-aerobic in the inspection process - about 17,000 residents have nonaerobic systems. Any fee must be approved by the District Advisory Council.

He said he was not surprised by the decision of the District Advisory Council.

"I'm satisfied with the result," Hirsch said. "I hope people realize we are trying to work this out together."

Three entities voted against the motion: Violet Township, the city of Pickerington and the city of Lancaster.

Lancaster Mayor Dave Smith said he does not oppose the removal of the annual fee, but wanted to know what the replacement program will be before voting on it.

He said the annual fee is comparable to other government fees that might not give service to every citizen.

"Not everyone uses police or fire service every year (but residents pay taxes for it)," said Smith during the meeting.

Clay Monour, 34, of Berne Township, attended the meeting to see for himself how the advisory council would vote.

"I agree with their decision," Monour said after the meeting. "I'm willing to pay the fee if they inspect my system."

He was not surprised the District Advisory Council voted to eliminate the fee.

"There was overwhelming support to disapprove it," said Monour.