By Kimberly Gasuras

Bucyrus resident, William Stuckert, could not attend the regular Bucyrus City Council meeting Tuesday evening, so he sent a letter objecting to a proposed ordinance to raise sewer rates.

Stuckert said in his letter that the storm water utility was created by an ordinance that was passed Aug. 8, 2000, and a monthly ERU (equivalent residential unit) of $4 was set by another ordinance March 18, 2003. He also stated that the Buffalo Storm Water Separation Fee was imposed as a monthly surcharge in the amount of $7.20 per month Aug. 1, 2015 on city residents’ utility bills to cover the storm separation project.

“These funds, if properly managed in the past and continue to be properly managed, should be sufficient to fund the storm water separation project without burdening the residents of Bucyrus with an additional increate of the sewage rate,” Stuckert wrote.

Even though he urged council members to vote no on the 10-percent rate increase, effective in January 2018, all council members voted yes on the ordinance except Dan Wirebaugh.

The rate increase is to pay for a 30-year loan to complete the stormwater separation project that is already underway.

In other council business, Bucyrus Police Chief Dave Koepke provided the latest statistics on his department’s police reports and calls for service before announcing that the department will be receiving a grant to fund the DARE program.

“I want to thank everyone who voted for our department,” said Koepke.

Koepke said a formal announcement and more details about the grant will be made next week.

Mayor Jeff Reser said a dedication ceremony will take place at 11 a.m., Oct. 20 at Schine’s Art Park as the park is in its final stages of completion. He also congratulated Donnie Sheerer, Chuck Christman and all who assisted with the Veteran’s Hall of Fame project in the lawn of the Crawford County Courthouse.

With a more serious tone, Reser said that although people in the community may disagree from time to time, the city is like a family when tragedy strikes.

“This community has many caring people who support those in need and we have seen another example of how open hearts can help comfort sorrow. We lost another young person last week. Jacie Everett, a senior at Bucyrus High School, was killed in a tragic accident,” Reser said. “Jacie’s death is a deep loss for us, but in our grief, we see that we are a close family in Bucyrus and beyond, and that is what comforts us. The City of Bucyrus extends deepest sympathy to the Everett family and the entire school system.”

The next city council meeting is at 7 p.m., Oct. 17 at Bucyrus City Hall.