CONNEAUT —
Without some financial help, Conneaut’s street light fund will definitely be overloaded by the end of the year, according to Finance Director John Williams.
If revenue-versus-expense continues at the same pace through the balance of 2012, the account will wind up in the red by thousands of dollars, Williams told City Council this week. “We’re collecting $7,000 less than we hoped to,” he said.
Since 2009, the city has relied on a $2 monthly residential fee to help pay its street lighting bills, which easily exceed $100,000. Putting a crimp in that plan, however, is a growing number of landowners who seek — and receive — special exemptions from the fee.
Within the fee ordinance is an escape clause: A street light must be located within 500 feet of a person’s property line or the monthly charge doesn’t apply. To date, 150 property-owners have received the exemption, meaning the loss of $24 per year per address, Williams said. The revenue lost totals $3,600, he said.
If collections don’t perk up, the general fund will be tapped at the end of the year to make up the difference, Williams told City Council.
With just two exceptions, street light revenue for 2012 has failed to match monthly totals posted the previous year, according to data from Williams’ office. Year to date, the fund is lagging behind 2011 totals by nearly $1,100, according to the documents.
With only a few exceptions, the street light fee exemptions can be found in Conneaut’s rural areas. According to Williams’ data, exemptions have been approved for people living on the following thoroughfares: Middle, Creek, South Ridge, Industry, Dibble, Blakeslee, Dorman, Colver, Whitney, Lake, Horton, South Parrish, Keefus, Underridge, Furnace and Center roads; 16th and Tee streets; Millard and Daniels avenues; Westwind, Eaton, Ohio, Lake Park, Point, Margor, Penn and Sunrise drives; Point Pleasant; Beach Court; Harrington Point; Burrington Heights and Bridgeview Lane.
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