PEA RIDGE — A second public meeting to present the need for a rate increase for the Wastewater was held prior to the February City Council meeting Tuesday, Feb.
15. The Council tabled the rate increase during the Council meeting.
Ken Hayes, Water/Wastewater Department superintendent, told those present that his department is required to keep a rate adequate to cover the operation and maintenance of the department and there was a shortfall last year which had to come out of the savings account.
“We have had to make an adjustment,” Hayes said, for $156,500. “Currently, we do not have that in our savings account.”
One council member, city officials and several city residents were present, as was the accountant LeRoy Duell, who wouldlater present the audit for the department.
Hayes said there has not been a rate increase in several years and he was advised by McGoodwin, Williams and Yates of the rates needed to meet the demands. He initially requested a lower rate than advised and planned on another increase later, but discussions at the January public meeting centered around why not ask for enough to meet the demand now.
The proposal is for a flat rate increase of $12 for the first 1,000 gallons from the currentrate of $8.80 for the first 1,000. The sewer rates are currently billed on a decreasing block with larger quantities being billed at a lower rate per 1,000.
“That’s really not fair because it costs the same to treat this gallon as it does the first one,” Hayes said, explaining his reasoning in removing the decreasing block rate in the new proposal.
Resident Larry Miser, referring to bonds secured by the department, said: “I don’t know why we didn’t address this when we got the bonds.”
“Back in 2000, I was here at all these meetings, all we wanted to do was pass new developments. I was assured time after time we would never have a problem with sewer or water capacity ... somewhere something went bad wrong.
“You should back up and make the developers pay for it. I said this in 2000 and nobody listened. You went right on down the road,” Miser said, saying residents who have been in the city all along should not have to pay for the new development.
News, Pages 1 on 02/23/2011