1,200 to get lower levee fee bills: Building fees drop as sites formerly termed commercial now residential. Residents say more should pay fee.

Luzerne County will reissue reduced Wyoming Valley levee fee bills to the owners of 1,200 buildings that house two to four living units, the county's Flood Protection Authority decided Tuesday.

These buildings were treated as commercial structures in the initial fee billing last week, which meant they were charged $225 if they were assessed under $250,000.

The authority is changing them to residential, which means the fee will be $46.85 for a property assessed under $100,000 and $93.70 for one over $100,000.

Letters will also be sent to all 15,300 fee payers answering frequently asked questions, the authority decided. Authority Director Jim Brozena suggested the letter, saying he can't process the flood of calls about the fee because he is the only full-time authority employee.

The fee was levied on properties in low-lying areas that were inundated by the 1972 Agnes Flood. County officials say the $1.6 million generated from the fee will cover costs associated with maintaining the levee, which provides Agnes-level flood protection.

Property owner Walter Griffith asked the authority to rescind the fee or make all county residents pay it.

Solicitor Vito DeLuca said it's been stated "over and over again" that the authority may only impose the fee on direct beneficiaries, which would be properties in the Agnes floodplain.

Brozena said the levee and its pumping stations could be decertified if they are not maintained to standards. Decertification would cause many flood insurance rates to quadruple, he said.

Revenue from the fee will be kept in a segregated account to ensure that the money is used only for flood-related levee maintenance expenses, he said.

Kingston resident John Cordora urged the authority to consider making other county taxpayers foot some of the bill. He suggested a referendum to see if those outside the floodplain would be willing to share in the cost to lower the fee.

The five-member authority has no power to call for referendums. Commissioners have that authority, and Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla said she will discuss the suggestion with the county solicitor.

Exeter property owner John Hoover questioned why he was charged the fee because his insurance company said he is not in the flood zone.

Brozena said insurance companies base their calculations on a smaller floodplain than the one protected by the levee.

Hoover said he has identified some properties in the Agnes floodplain that did not receive levee fee bills. County officials asked him to share that information with Brozena.

The authority adopted the fee in April and decided to proceed with collection, despite a pending court challenge from Kingston and several property owners.

Jennifer Learn-Andes, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7333.