Action Alert: STOP THE SEWER RATE INCREASE

ACTION ALERT

Stop the Sewer Rate Increase

At the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) public hearing this past Wednesday night nearly 250-300 people showed up to voice their displeasure's over the proposed sewer rate increase. Other than Julius Ciaccia (NEORSD Executive Director), the only NEORSD Board Members present were Middleburg Hts Mayor Gary Starr & Ron Sulik. 

After hearing comments from citizens & Tea Party members from across the District, when asked if he would support the moratorium on the rate increase -- Mr. Sulik "was still undecided."  Whereas, Mayor Starr was a "star" in speaking out against this gross abuse of power by the NEORSD & the U.S. EPA and requested a 1yr moratorium on these increases that will cause an increase in your sewer bill to more than $50 a month by 2016 and eventually to more than $140 per month.

The increase to fund the $3 Billion Clean Lake Project is over, above & separate from the additional Storm Water Management Fees the NEORSD is also seeking to impose on behalf of the U.S. EPA & the Clean Water Act.

The NEORSD will vote on this rate increase at 12:30pm on December 2, 2010. In a NEORSD meeting held today, Mayor Starr made a motion to re-schedule the time of this meeting at 7:00pm so it would afford the public the availability to attend this meeting.  NOT ONE BOARD MEMBER WOULD SECOND THE MOTION! In fact, NEORSD Board President Darnell Brown found Mayor Starr's Motion -- out of order!

By not attending the public hearing & then by the refusing to even Second a Motion rescheduling the vote at a time where it can be witnessed by the very public they wish impose a tax on by federal edict, shows the board members of the NEORSD, a court-created regulatory & taxing agency created on behalf of the EPA for enforcement of the Clean Water Act (ORC 6119), could care a less about the further hardships their vote will cause on this already financially & economically distressed region.

Our first steps are getting the moratorium in place -- Please contact  the NEORSD Board members and voice your opinion on the increases and request the meeting be reset for 7pm and, the 1yr moratorium be put in place.  Please read entire post for complete list of people to contact.

NEORSD Board Members

Darnell Brown (President)
PH: (216)-664-3990
Email: mayorsactioncenter@city.cleveland.oh.us
Email ATT: Darnell Brown

Ron Sulik (Vice-President)
Email: chapmanj@neorsd.org ATT: Ron Sulik

Mayor Dean DePiero (Secretary)
PH: (440) 885-8001
Fax: 440-885-8012
Email: mayorsoffice@cityofparma-oh.gov

Sheila Kelly (Member)
PH: (216) 295-0100

Walter O'Malley (Member)
PH: (216)621-3090
FX: (216)696-0660
Email: local38@ibew38.org

Mayor Jack Bacci (Member)

PH: (216) 641-7020

FX: 216-641-8485
Email: j.bacci@cuyahogaheights.com

Mayor Gary Starr (Member)

Do not contact; Supports Moratorium

The EPA has recently granted a moratorium in FL, please contact the below EPA offices and request they do the same for here...

EPA Offices

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Lisa Jackson (Administrator)
PH: (202)564-4700

US Environmental Agency / Region 5

Susan Hedman (Region 5 Administrator)
PH: (312)886-3000
Email: hedman.susan@epa.gov

Ohio Environmental Protection Agency

Chris Korleski (Director)
PH: (614) 644-2782
FX: (614) 644-3184
Email: chris.korleski@epa.state.oh.us

Laura Powell (Asst. Director)
PH: (614) 644-2782
Fx: (614) 644-3184
Email: Laura.Powell@epa.state.oh.us

OH EPA N/E Ohio District

Bill Skowronski (District Chief)
PH: (330) 963-1130
FX: (330) 487-0769

Keith Riley (Asst. District Chief)
PH: (330) 963-1111
FX: (330)487-0769
Email: keith.riley@epa.state.oh.us

When you are done contacting the above NEORSD Board members & EPA offices, we urge you to also call the following people;

County Executive-Elect Ed Fitzgerald
PH: (216) 529-6600
Email: mayor@lakewoodoh.net

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson
PH: (216)664-3990
Email: mayorsactioncenter@city.cleveland.oh.us

Mayor & Council of your City

When contacting your Mayor & Council express your dismay they were not present at the NEORSD meeting last night representing your community.  Ask them if their absence meant they don't care about the increases or does their absence mean they support them?

Mayor Starr of Middleburg Hts has contacted all 63 communities in the NEORSD and has requested they sign on to a statement supporting the request for a moratorium on the rate increase.  To date the cities that have signed on in support are; Village of Macedonia, City of Lyndhurst, City of Broadview Hts.

Most likely your Mayor and/or Council member will tell you they have no authority over the NEORSD and there is nothing they can do.  They are to stand and fight against anything that negatively affects the residents & city they represent.  Should they not come out publicly against this draconian sewer rate increase -- you will remember this when it is time for their re-election.

County Councilman-Elect Dave Greenspan, Middleburg Hts Councilman-at-Large Ray Guttman & Middleburg Hts Ward 4 Councilman John Grech & former Congressman Ron Mottl were the ONLY other public officials in attendance. They have no authority over the NEORSD either - but they were there standing with the residents against this sewer rate increase. Congratulations to these elected officials for doing the right thing! 

And why weren't the elected officials of your city present?  Call and find out -- ask that they also support the moratorium. Email us back at clevelandteaparty@gmail.com and we will make their answers and responses public. Click here for more on some recent EPA actions.

Please continue checking back for more contact information or join our email list by signing up at www.clevelandteaparty.com for updates.