WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners are not likely to recommend a water rate increase during Thursday’s regular meeting as one commissioner is insisting a performance audit be done on the county’s sanitary department before any increase is implemented.

A resolution for a proposed rate increase is scheduled to be on the next regular meeting agenda. The meeting has been delayed by one day to allow commissioners to attend an economic development meeting in Columbus today.

Commissioner Tony Bernard said he could be convinced to agree on a six-month increase if the other commissioners limit the rate to $10.50 per 1,000 gallons while the performance audit is being conducted. The $10.50 amount is what was recommended for 2025 by MS Consultants in a county-sponsored water rate study in 2022.

“I don’t think $10.50 is a doable number for us,” Bob Maiorano, comptroller for the sanitary sewer department, said.

“This is the bare bones needed to break even,” added Gary Newbrough, director of the sanitary sewer department.

Sanitary sewer department officials earlier this year recommended Trumbull customers pay $12.50 per 1,000 gallons. Maiorano last week said they were able to reduce the amount to $12 per 1,000 gallons by delaying some projected improvements from 10 years to 20 years in the future.

Commissioners, at that time, asked Maiorano to see if they could further reduce the increased amount for customers under the county’s homestead extension program, as well as some low-income residents. Homeowners that qualify under the county’s homestead program must be 65 years and older, as well as qualify under specific financial guidelines.

On Tuesday, Maiorano said they could reduce the increased amount for those in the Homestead program by 20%, so the discount rate for those eligible would be $10.02. However, he added, reducing that amount for those customers would require raising the increase for others to $12.52 to create the same amount of revenue.

The county needs to earn $9.5 million a year to pay its water suppliers for the amount of water being purchased.

Bernard initially suggested the commissioners approve a 90-day temporary water rate increase while a performance audit on the department is conducted.

Commissioners Denny Malloy and Rick Hernandez both indicated they could support the idea of a performance audit being done, but argued 90 days does not provide enough time.

“Six months would show our due diligence,” Hernandez said.

Malloy suggested the $10.50 recommended for 2025 in the MS Consultants water rate study was based on the county slowly increasing its water rates as it received increases from the county’s water suppliers. However, because there have not been any increases between the release of the rate study and now, that 2025 recommendation amount is likely not enough.

Malloy stated most city and township representatives he spoke to during a Monday evening meeting now understand the need for the county to be able to pay its basic water bills as required by state law.

Malloy questioned if the county could establish an advisory board of citizens to monitor water rate increases that take place in communities that sell water to the county, so they will not be surprised when future water rates go up.

“The bottom line is we have to be in compliance with the Ohio Regulatory Commission (state),” he said. “This has not happened in the last 10 to 15 years.”

Malloy said he would like the county to be able to adjust future rates based on the fees being charged by the suppliers.

“I trust the numbers we are being given by Maiorano,” Malloy said.

However, Bernard said he does not and would like an outside agency to review the data and provide recommendations.

“I want someone else to tell me these figures are right,” Bernard said.

Hernandez said he is supportive of a water rate increase because he has been convinced if the county does nothing, the sanitary sewer department will run out of money to operate sometime in May.

“We have to cover those bills,” Hernandez said.”I will take the hit. We can’t allow the department to just go belly up and not offer water to our residents. This is just covering the costs of producing the water.”

Malloy argued the decision to raise water rates should be unanimous among the commissioners.

“People will question why there is a split decision,” he said.