BY JIMMY LAWTONNorth Country This Week

OGDENSBURG – Local daycare providers who spoke at recent city council meetings say the city needs to revisit how it’s charging water rates to in-home businesses or risk losing providers who operate on “razor-thin margins.”

Some Ogdensburg residents are raising concerns regarding the city’s new water and sewer billing guidelines, which they say is not fair or equitable.

At issue is the city’s water and sewer billing policy for businesses that are operated in homes. When adjusting water rates recently the city discussed various issues associated with water rates as residential businesses were being charged the same as businesses with higher usage. 

The city then set out to determine what constitutes a residential business and to determine rates. However some residents raised concerns that the ambiguous nature of such determinations created a fairness issue.

On Monday Kylie Morrow told council that she was dissatisfied with the changes in water and sewer billing practices, specifically because of the impact they have on daycare providers.

“It’s unacceptable that this council has chosen to single out daycares for additional charges while other in h0me businesses, particularly those that care for individuals such as adult foster homes or small residential care operations have not been subjected to the same financial burdens,” she said.

Morrow told councilors the selective enforcement was “unfair” and sends a message that “the important work of caring for our communitie’s youngest citizen is somehow less valued or more expendable than work done by other in-home businesses.”

“Daycare providers are already operating on razor thin margins. We are licensed, regulated and inspected. We follow strict guidelines to ensure children's safety, learning and well-being now we are being further penalized for disproportionately high utility bills while we provide an essential service that allows other families in Ogdensburg and the surrounding areas to work and thrive,” she said.

She told council that she doesn't dispute that the water and sewer services cost money, but said the council is targeting some small businesses and not others.

She said the policy will likely lead to fewer daycare providers in Ogdensburg and says that will be a determinant to the community.

“I respectfully ask that the council revisit this policy and if additional charges are deemed necessary they must be applied fairly equitably and transparently across all in-home businesses,” she said.

Arlene Kaya who is a licensed daycare provider also spoke on the matter.

She said the billing  issue has been a problem for years. She said the city has taken action to address the problem, but has fallen short. She said the recent code change has gray areas and the city is picking and choosing who is charged.

Councilor Dan Skamperle said that both of the women who spoke at the meeting brought up valid points regarding how the city was identifying and charging in-home businesses. He asked City Manager Fonda Chronis to provide an update in the near future.

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