To the Editor,
Recent coverage of infrastructure improvements in the region prompted me to reflect on how neighboring communities fund and manage sewer and stormwater projects.
A recent article detailing the Ledge Road storm sewer project in the City of Macedonia offers a useful example. As reported, council authorized engineering and bidding to replace a dangerously deep roadside ditch and address erosion concerns. The project involves a clearly identified public asset, was approved through a formal council resolution, and is funded through NEORSD community cost-share dollars, making it budget-neutral for residents and businesses.
That project illustrates a level of transparency many taxpayers value: a defined problem, a defined public asset, an identified funding source, and a documented approval process that allows the public to understand both the need and the cost.
By comparison, in The Village of Northfield, property owners pay an ongoing “sewer maintenance” fee. It is not always clear which specific assets the fee supports, how funds are allocated between maintenance, repair, replacement, or labor, or what projects—if any—are currently planned or underway. In addition, sewer maintenance and water-related items appear to be combined in year-end reporting, which can make it more difficult for the public to understand how dedicated funds are being used.
Most commercial property owners pass sewer-related fees through to their tenants, meaning many businesses ultimately bear these costs. Clear explanations of how such fees are calculated, along with more detailed accounting of how the funds are used, would help tenants better understand what they are reimbursing landlords for. Greater clarity would also be helpful regarding how sewer-related work is performed—whether through outside contractors, existing municipal staff, or other arrangements—and how those costs are reflected in public reporting.
This is not meant as criticism, but rather as a request for clarity. Sewer and stormwater infrastructure is essential, expensive, and long-lived. Clear communication about how dedicated fees are used helps build public trust and allows residents and businesses to better understand what they are paying for. As a property owner, I am periodically asked by tenants to explain the sewer fee, and in the absence of clear, publicly available detail, I refer those questions directly to the Village of Northfield.
Neighboring communities show that project-based explanations and transparency are achievable. I hope The Village of Northfield will continue moving in that direction so residents and businesses can better understand how essential infrastructure investments are being managed.
Respectfully,
A Northfield taxpayer and property owner
