Residents and Property Owners of Benton County Sewer District #1

PO Box 395

Warsaw, MO 65355

Petition

We, the residents and property owners in the Benton County Sewer District #1 located in Warsaw, MO do not believe the elected board of trustee’s overseeing the Benton County Sewer District #1 should be permitted to increase our sewer bill in this declining economy and recession.   

First, the sewer increase will very severely impact residents who are retired, living on fixed incomes, and the unemployed. For those who are on Social Security, there were no COLA increases this year. During this recession, Benton County 's unemployment rate of 9.7 percent is the highest it’s been since 1993. http://recenter.tamu.edu/Data/empc/LAUCN290150.htm Those who are unemployed or are on fixed income already have had to make painful choices, prioritizing life's necessities to adjust their expenses to their lower income. For these already suffering groups, the effect of a significant sewer rate increase will cause them to further marginalize.

Second, if property sewer rates increase, real estate values in our area will decline as a result. Real Estate seekers will look elsewhere to purchase property due to the fact that many come from the city and do not pay these outrageous monthly rates. They will seek lake homes or businesses that have wells or septic tanks with no set monthly fees. The sewer increase would further reduce property values leading many homeowners to having negative equity in their homes causing them to either walk away from their mortgages or to enter the foreclosure process.

We, the residents and property owners in Benton County Sewer District #1 demand to see the audits for the Benton County Sewer District #1 from 2003 through 2009. If no audits are available we demand for an audit to be done for Benton County Sewer District #1 from 2003 through 2009.

We, the residents and property owners in Benton County Sewer District #1 petition to hold a meeting to voice our opinions and grievances on the proposed increase. 

We, the residents and property owners in Benton County Sewer District #1 petition for the following to be present at this meeting, County commissioners, Board of Trustee’s and maintenance and repair crews. Audits from 2003-2009 shall be available for viewing for the residents and property owners in the Benton County Sewer District #1.

We, the residents and property owners in Benton County Sewer District #1 petition the Board of Trustees and Benton County Sewer District #1 to deny this increase of the monthly sewer bill until further investigation. Effective immediately

Sponsor

Links