LOUDONVILLE — Loudonville Village Council approved increasing water rates from 3% to 5% and increasing the capital improvement fund from $5 to $10 a month.
The increases will be reflected on residents’ and business owners’ monthly water bills.
For homeowners and residential property renters who pay a water bill, the 2025 monthly water rate is a minimum charge of $21.67. There is a $0 charge for the first 1,700 gallons of water used and a roughly $1.10 charge per 100 gallons used for the next 1,700 gallons.
Starting Jan. 1, 2026, the water rate will increase to a $22.32 minimum charge with a $0 charge for the first 1,700 gallons of water used and a roughly $1.13 charge per 100 gallons used for the next 1,700 gallons.
For all subsequent gallons used, the per-100-gallon charge decreases each time, for homeowners and corporations.
For corporations, the 2025 monthly water rate is a minimum charge of $17.32, with a $0 charge for the first 1,700 gallons of water used and a roughly 88 cents charge per 100 gallons used for the next 1,700 gallons.
The 2026 minimum water rate will increase to $17.84, with a $0 charge for the first 1,700 gallons of water used and a roughly 90 cents charge per 100 gallons used for the next 1,700 gallons.
Monthly sanitary sewer rates will also increase from a $17.76 minimum rate in 2025 to $18.30 in 2026 for residential residents. After the first 1,700 gallons, residents will be charged roughly 93 cents per 100 gallons used for the next 1,700 gallons.
The corporation minimum sanitary sewer rate will increase from $14.20 to $14.62. After the first 1,700 gallons, corporations will be charged roughly 74 cents per 100 gallons used for the next 1,700 gallons.
Council member Hollie McCauley said there rate increases reflect the financial need of the village to maintain the water capital improvement fund. The fund finances water line, sewer system and other water infrastructure projects.
“To be fair, I mean, we’re way, way low compared to other villages,” Mayor Jason Van Sickle noted.
2026 employee wage increases
Council also discussed potentially increasing village employee wages in 2026. The finance committee provided three different proposed increase rates for village positions, which include police department, EMS, water and wastewater department, maintenance department and fiscal officer employees.
The proposed increases for various positions range from $1.50 to $4 depending on the position. Some of the position increases include:
- Police Chief: Increase hourly rate of $29.03 by $2-4, an additional $5,000-10,000 yearly increase
- Police with two plus years: Increase hourly rate of $25.25 by $2-4 , an additional roughly $5,000-9,600 yearly increase
- Paramedic: Increase hourly rate of $18.37 by $2, an additional roughly $8,600 yearly increase
- Street worker: Increase hourly rate of $19.72 by $1.50-2, an additional $3,120-4,160 yearly increase
“But what we have to keep in mind when we’re looking at these increases is we only have so many tax dollars coming in. So, we don’t want to overextend ourselves,” Council member Cathy Lance said. “We have good departments; we want to keep as many employees as possible, but if we overextend ourselves, then yeah, we’re gonna have to cut somewhere else.”
Council member Tom Young said for the last couple of years, the village has spent more than it brought in through taxes. He questioned how the village would fund the wage increases.
“We can’t keep spending more than we’re bringing in,” he said.
McCauley proposed the idea of increasing the income tax for residents.
“If you can’t pay your bills, you gotta figure out how to have money. Your bills aren’t gonna go anywhere. Your employees aren’t gonna go anywhere, I hope,” she said.
She said she understands residents might oppose the idea, but if it is necessary, “I’m not opposed to paying my part for my village.”
Council will continue to discuss the rate increases over the next couple of weeks before making a decision.
In other business
Mayor Van Sickle recognized the Loudonville Rotary Club will be celebrating its 100th year anniversary on Oct. 23 at the American Legion Post 257. He proclaimed Oct. 26, 2025, as Rotary Club Day and thanked the group for their work in the village.
John Stoops, cofounder of Redbird Resilient, told council member about the Mistletoe on Main event happening on Dec. 6. The event will include:
- A holiday scavenger hunt at the Loudonville Public Library from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- A holiday movie at the Ohio Theatre, which Stoops hopes to put on for free, from 1 to 3 p.m.
- A holiday parade at 5 p.m.
- The Christkindl Market, put on by the Cleo Redd Fisher Museum, from 5-9 p.m.
- A lighting of the Christmas tree with carol singing by the Loundonville-Perrysville choir at 6 p.m.
- A free dinner at three of the churches in town at 6 p.m.
The schedule is a rough outline and could change, there have been no street closures made explicitly for the event.
Lance suggested the village purchase ornaments for the tree using the Parks Fund, which the village will vote on at a later meeting.
