The Marion County Health Department is holding a Public Hearing on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM in the Prospect Room of the Marion County Building on a proposed Household Sewage Management fee. The Marion County General Health District is proposing to start a Household Sewage Management Program to address the needs of the Marion County residents with individual household sewage systems.

The proposed annual fee of no more than $20 would be assessed to homeowners who have an operating Home Sewage Treatment Systems (HSTS). The board says the fee would independently fund the sewage program that has been hard hit by a decrease in sewage permits over the last several years.  By law, the Board of Health is responsible to conduct site evaluations for proposed HSTS, inspect new HSTS installations, enforce sewage rules, investigate sewage nuisance complaints, provide education and information services to HSTS owners, maintain program records, and ensure that all existing sewage systems are in good working condition to prevent public health sewage nuisances.

Section 3709.09 of the Ohio Revised Code allows boards of health to establish a uniform set of fees to pay for the cost of services provided by the board. Written comments can be mailed the Marion County Health Department at 222 W. Center Street, Marion or can be emailed to: mwork@co.marion.oh.us.

Marion County Commissioner Josh Daniels has intimated the fee is nothing more than a money grab meant to cover an inflated budget.