Mayor Bob Stefanik has scheduled a workshop on Monday, April 25, for residents who are interested in learning about the proposed new fee through the Northeast Regional Sewer District’s Storm Water Management Program. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers, located at 14600 State Road, in Memorial Park.
According to Stefanik, the meeting will discuss the new fees and how not only residents, but also homeowners associations and businesses can apply to receive credits toward those fees.
According to Stefanik, Matt Scharver, Watershed Team Leader, and Dave Ritter, Manager of Watershed Technical Support, will provide a 40-minute presentation to highlight the Northeast Regional Stormwater Management Program. Elizabeth Hiszer, from the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District, will then give a 20-minute presentation, which will focus on stormwater detention basin maintenance, which is a requirement for the program’s credit eligibility.
The workshop is predicated upon the passage of legislation that would authorize the Mayor to enter into agreements with the Northeast Regional Sewer District to include all of the city in its Regional Storm Water Management Program.
Two pieces of legislation were introduced at the March 15 City Council meeting that could ultimately affect the pocketbooks of North Royalton residents. The first ordinance authorizes the Mayor to enter into an agreement with the Northeast Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) to settle litigation regarding the billing “C” district. The second ordinance would then authorize the Mayor to enter into a service agreement with NEORSD in order to include all of the city’s storm water districts within the NEORSD Regional Storm Water Management Program. If the two measures are adopted by Council, then all property owners of North Royalton will pay the fees, once the program starts up. The fees, which will be collected by NEORSD, will be billed to customers on a quarterly basis.
The legislation was then placed on first reading and taken into the City Council Stormwater Committee, where it was discussed on April 5. The legislation was then taken out of committee, with no recommendation and was then placed on second reading at the April 5 City Council meeting, which followed the Stormwater Committee meeting.
Legislation was approved by City Council on April 19 that allows the Mayor to enter into an agreement with the Northeast Regional Sewer District, allowing the entire city to be included in their Stormwater Management Program. Stefanik invites the residents to attend a workshop, where officials from the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District and the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District will discuss how residents, homeownes associations, and businesses can save on their Stormwater Management Program Fee, through the use of credits. The workshop will take place on Monday, April 25, at 7 p.m. at City Hall, located in Memorial Park, at 14600 State Road.
(Ed. Note: This last paragraph is an update, as this information was not yet available at press time for the April 20 issue.)

By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK, Contributing Writer