I am writing in response to the letter written by Mr. Charles Roden published on January 18. The letter entitled “Commission has trouble with numbers, facts” made allegations of improper activity by the county’s water and sewer department and also discussed the county’s water and sewer rate increases. While I certainly commend Mr. Roden for taking an interest in his local government, I would like to note a few clarifications.
Mr. Roden’s letter describes water employees performing their work duties in an irresponsible manner while repairing a leak on Day Ion Drive. Day Ion Drive is not in the county water and sewer department’s service area, therefore the county does not maintain any accounts on Daylon Drive, nor does the county water and sewer department have any of the type of truck Mr. Roden references in his letter. It appears as though the county has been confused in this instance with another entity.
Forsyth County employees take pride in their work and in serving the citizens of this fine county and we, as officials, take pride in the great service they provide every day.
In the same letter, Mr. Roden talked about the recently approved increases in water and sewer rates, as well as the rate changes in 2006. While the county did in fact implement tiered water rates in 2006, those tiered rates were designed to be revenue neutral. In fact, about half of the county’s residential water customers actually saw a decrease in their bills due to the tiered rates.
The rate increases approved Jan. 8 are, for all practical purposes, the county’s first rate increases in over 18 years. They are needed to help cover the continually increasing costs of providing quality water and sewer services. It is important to note that the water and sewer department is an enterprise fund. This means that they are not supported by taxes and do not receive funding from the county’s general fund. The water and sewer department’s operations rely solely on user fees.
Charles Laughinghouse
Chairman, Forsyth County
Board of Commissioners
Mr. Roden’s letter describes water employees performing their work duties in an irresponsible manner while repairing a leak on Day Ion Drive. Day Ion Drive is not in the county water and sewer department’s service area, therefore the county does not maintain any accounts on Daylon Drive, nor does the county water and sewer department have any of the type of truck Mr. Roden references in his letter. It appears as though the county has been confused in this instance with another entity.
Forsyth County employees take pride in their work and in serving the citizens of this fine county and we, as officials, take pride in the great service they provide every day.
In the same letter, Mr. Roden talked about the recently approved increases in water and sewer rates, as well as the rate changes in 2006. While the county did in fact implement tiered water rates in 2006, those tiered rates were designed to be revenue neutral. In fact, about half of the county’s residential water customers actually saw a decrease in their bills due to the tiered rates.
The rate increases approved Jan. 8 are, for all practical purposes, the county’s first rate increases in over 18 years. They are needed to help cover the continually increasing costs of providing quality water and sewer services. It is important to note that the water and sewer department is an enterprise fund. This means that they are not supported by taxes and do not receive funding from the county’s general fund. The water and sewer department’s operations rely solely on user fees.
Charles Laughinghouse
Chairman, Forsyth County
Board of Commissioners