Ada resident questions water rates, village alcohol zoning

By ALEC KELLER

Times staff writer

ADA — A village resident approached Ada council with questions, concerns, and ideas regarding water bills and liquor ordinances during their meeting Tuesday night.

Kevin Wagner, who presented his findings on water usage and how it was billed, suggested that he would like to see one price for one unit of water, rather than providing bulk discounts. He said it could be a flat rate of $5.74 per 100 cubic feet.

“I was given the 2024 consumption report both inside and outside.  I did the math using simple 7th and 8th grade math of ratios, and determined that there could have been a dollar amount that was the single flat rate. And that flat rate is significantly lower than what the average resident pays on their 3-inch meter.”

Wagner said he would like to see water go from 100 cubic feet down to 10 cubic feet to foster conservation.

“People need water. We die without water,” Wagner said. “Businesses want water. We should take care of people first, and a flat rate would do that. Our residents shouldn’t be paying the businesses for water, the math shows they do.”

Councilman Jeffrey Oestreich disagreed with the statement, saying he works for Associated Plastics Corporation in Ada and there is a need for equipment cooling and fire suppression systems.

“I need water for my fire system, which gets flushed once a year, and I have to notify the village because of the amount of the water that is discharged during that test that I have to pay for,” Oestreich said. “The demand for a business is not any less than what an individual is per person there.”

Wagner replied that if that the village can start with the idea of not trying to see how they can try to expand water uses and how to conserve water, there would not be a need in the future to work on water system repairs.

Village Administrator Amanda Sears offered to Wagner a possibility of showing what his water bill looks like now, and how it will look like with what he is proposing, to which he agreed.

Next, Wagner expressed concerns on an alcohol zoning resolution, which enforces no liquor establishment within a certain amount of feet from churches or schools. Village solicitor Jane Napier explained that in the 1980s, this was established. In 2021, the legislature said that the liquor commission is going to supersede zoning authority.

“We sometimes get notice of any liquor transfer,” Napier said. “We cannot regulate the liquor commission, we regulate our zoning laws. If we feel as though that is a new establishment where it would be a non-conforming use, we would object, but we can’t prohibit it here. But laws change all the time at the state.”

Napier explained that it is a long process to repeal any zoning ordinance. As such, it must go through the zoning commission, they have a hearing, it comes to council, there is a public hearing, and then it gets voted on.

Wagner asked why this ordinance is on the books if it is not getting enforced. He noted that three businesses are within 500 feet of a church. The three he mentioned were 302 Carry Out, Speedway and The Cask Room. Napier replied that 302 Carry Out had a liquor prior to ‘86 when the zoning law took effect.

“Here’s the thing, 302 probably had a liquor permit prior to ‘86,” Napier said. “They would be a non-conforming use. A non-conforming use does not go away unless it is terminated for two years. So even though we might have it on the books, they are not subject to that law. And we don’t look at change in ownership of that, because it’s still selling liquor at that premises. Since 2021, we’re not forcing, but it’s still of record.”

During committee reports, Police Chief Alec Cooper reported that since his last report, there had been 68 calls for service with 3 incident reports and no accident reports. Cooper added that the agency received a donation of a $600 portable breathalyzer from the United States Deputy Sheriff’s Association.

In other business, council:

– Approved an ordinance establishing the annual salary of the council of the village taking office beginning Jan. 1 2026 and ending Dec. 31, 2029 at a rate of $256.22 monthly; $3,074.64 annually.

– Approved disposal of unused and obsolete police department equipment

– Approved a request to sell unused or obsolete police department equipment.

– Approved request for the Ada Police Department to enter into an agreement with Lexipol for 2025 for PoliceOne Academy. For 2025 the State of Ohio revamped its continuing education requirements. In past years they have only required 8 hours of topic specific training. This year they require 24.