BY ANNE MICHAUD
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Interim sewer Director Paul Tomes has proposed paying developer John Niehaus $413,609 for "upsizing" a sewer pipe while building the Aston Oaks subdivision in North Bend.
That's more than the $399,230 proposed as payment by Tom Quinn, former director of the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD). Mr. Quinn was criticized by his top administrators for being too generous. That and other charges of mismanagement led to his resignation in April.
Mr. Tomes has written a policy for upsizing pipes -- a practice in which developers build the larger pipes to handle growth beyond their projects. It saves the MSD from replacing the pipes later. In theory, MSD should pay just the extra cost of enlarging the pipes, but there is disagreement over how to calculate it.
Mr. Tomes said he ran the Aston Oaks development through the math of the new policy and came out with $413,609.
"I realized it could come under scrutiny, but this is what I came up with," he said Monday after presenting the figure to Hamilton County commissioners.
Commissioners are considering dropping back down to the $399,230 figure, offered to Mr. Niehaus in late fall, and adding 9.5 percent interest. The interest would be roughly $25,000, they said.
Commissioners agreed to vote on the Niehaus case and the new upsizing policy on Wednesday.
Mr. Quinn had been agreeing case-by-case with developers on how much they would be paid to put in bigger pipes.
Mr. Tomes said a formal policy will protect both the district and developers.
