Clinton County Sewer District’s user debt continues to shrink

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WILMINGTON — Delinquent payments owed by users of the Clinton County Sewer District have gone down a second straight year — coinciding with the time frame when the accounts have been handled through the Clinton County Auditor’s Office.

In 2014, the delinquent debt of the users totaled about $65,245. In 2015, the amount owed fell to $56,796. And in 2016, the users’ delinquent debt has dropped to $51,111.

Upon hearing the report from county auditor’s staff, Clinton County Commissioner Kerry Steed noted the two-year reduction is nearly 22 percent, which he called “quite an accomplishment.”

Prior to 2015, an outside contractor handled the user bills from the sewer district that serves the Martinsville and Midland area of south-central Clinton County. The Clinton County Sewer District is under the jurisdiction of the Board of Clinton County Commissioners.

Clinton County commissioners on Wednesday approved placing assessments — penalties — onto the real estate property taxes of 103 delinquent accounts.

Clinton County Auditor Terry Habermehl said his office is continuing to work on the past-due payments of the sewer district’s users.

The work on the delinquent payments during the past two years, respectively, done by Real Estate Clerks JoAnn Quallen and Deanna Liermann, both of the Clinton County Auditor’s Office, received compliments from Habermehl their boss and from the commissioners.

“Deanna worked very closely [this year] with folks trying to help them figure out a way to get their bills paid. So, it’s been successful,” Habermehl said.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the improvement in the delinquency numbers for 2015-16 was largely attributed to communicating with the people who have the delinquent accounts.

Liermann reminded affected residents, “Unfortunately, the delinquency follows the property [when it’s sold]. It doesn’t follow the owner.”

In other news from Wednesday’s session:

Clinton County Agricultural Society (Fair Board) President Scot Gerber, Habermehl, Clinton County Chief Deputy Auditor Carol McFall and Clinton County Assistant Prosecutor Andrew McCoy met with commissioners to go over procedural questions about a $250,000 Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) grant for the Clinton County Fairgrounds and a $50,000 Ohio Department of Agriculture grant for a new horse barn at the fairgrounds.

The ODNR grant dollars are intended to go toward construction of the horse barn, to extending the cover of the grandstand, and for a new hog barn roof, as previously reported.

Two members of the Clinton County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Board of DD) will go off the board at year’s end, stated a letter to the commissioners from Board of DD Superintendent Kyle Lewis.

Board member Roberta Naylor has served three full terms and is not eligible for re-appointment, Lewis wrote. Brian Lieurance has served two full terms and will not seek a third term as he needs to spend more time at his business, added Lewis.

In the letter the Board of DD and Lewis asked commissioners to consider appointing Clinton Countians Bart Powell and Kelly Straw to the two seats. Powell is engineering project manager at John Glenn Columbus International Airport and a parent of a school-age child with a disability. Straw is an individual with a disability who, stated Lewis, is very involved in improving the Nike Center system, regularly volunteers to assist at many of the activities, and currently sits on the Friends of the Nike Center Committee.

Both appointments would be four-year terms, from January 2017 through December 2020.

Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768 or on Twitter @GHuffenberger.

Clinton County Auditor’s Office Real Estate Clerk Deanna Liermann speaks to Clinton County commissioners about an improved picture in terms of the delinquent accounts of Clinton County Sewer District users.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/09/web1_d_liermann_p_f.jpgClinton County Auditor’s Office Real Estate Clerk Deanna Liermann speaks to Clinton County commissioners about an improved picture in terms of the delinquent accounts of Clinton County Sewer District users.

From left, Clinton County Auditor Terry Habermehl and Clinton County Agricultural Society (Fair Board) President Scot Gerber enjoy a light moment prior to a Wednesday appointment with county commissioners.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/09/web1_gerber_p_f.jpgFrom left, Clinton County Auditor Terry Habermehl and Clinton County Agricultural Society (Fair Board) President Scot Gerber enjoy a light moment prior to a Wednesday appointment with county commissioners.

By Gary Huffenberger

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