Kent City Council Approves “Storm Water Fee”
Kent City Council had many topics of discussion during its most recent meeting on Wednesday, March 16. One important topic that was brought up during the meeting was the implementation of a “stormwater fee”, which would increase the rate of the city of Kent storm water utility by two dollars monthly. As TV2’s Jon Huntsman reports, Kent residents now will likely have to brace the big storm of paying more upfront for their water bills.
Residents living in the city of Kent also get the chance to emphasize their main concerns at Kent’s Regular Council Meeting before council men and women go over their agenda.
While the biggest part of the meeting allows council men and women to pass important ordinances for the city, concerns like Kent native Chris Meyers make an impact at the meeting.
“ ‘The last straw for Kent State is your email to me in which you state the contractor for the architecture building said he responded to all my complaints,” Meyers said, reading from a letter to Kent State’s Vice President Thomas Euclide. “ ‘Let’s talk about to whom I’ve actually complained about the lung fogging clouds of dirt and dust that blew daily all summer and fall from the construction site onto my property.’”
Meyers houses tenants on Willow Street and said the construction has been an inconvenience to them by the “white clouds”, icy driveways and knocks on the window from construction men.
Michael Bruder, Executive Director of Facilities Planning and Design, said construction contractors takes precautions to decrease disturbances for all residents.
“The city has a noise ordinance and construction procedures in place and our contractors are in compliance with those,” Bruder said. “We think we are doing everything that we think can be done, construction can be disruptive.”
Bruder said the contractors are staying within the guidelines of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assure safety for the community.
Ward Council Woman, Heidi Shaffer was the was compelled to address Meyers’ concerns.
The council decided to take further precautions of Meyers’ concern.