MONROE - Despite objection by some Monroe Common Council members, the city is planning to create a resolution outlining a 23-percent increase in wastewater rates to be voted on during the council's next meeting.
While some seem to favor the measure to pay for debt accrued by the new wastewater treatment plant project, others voiced concerns about the actual numbers used in the recommendation.
At Tuesday's council meeting, Public Works Director Colin Simpson pointed to numbers which cite Monroe as having one of the lowest rates among 24 comparable cities and municipalities in the state. Simpson said despite years of increasing costs, through cutbacks on staff and equipment costs, the city has been able to remain at a low rate. Because of the lack of maintenance on the wastewater plant, the need for its replacement was a priority. In 2012, the city bumped the rate up by 18 percent, less than the recommended increase.
With the wastewater rate increase, the average resident of Monroe will see an increase of $27 per quarter. That would bring the average homeowner's yearly cost for water and sewer service from $734 to $842.
Alderman Tom Miller said the issue echoes how infrastructure in Monroe has been handled. Citing the parking ramp, road conditions and City Hall, Miller said without proper care, it should be expected that large amounts of money will have to be spent on projects to replace them. He said he supports the wastewater increase and is hopeful to see more proactive measures in the future to alleviate the need for a large hike in bills for residents and businesses alike.
However, Alderman Louis Armstrong, who opposed the amount of the proposed increase in previous Board of Public Works meetings, said the uncertainty regarding fixed charges gave him pause. Simpson said he was confident the public works department had been consistent in their measurements, but because the new treatment plant was not fully in action yet, the cost of operations has only been projected. A formula put in place before Simpson was a part of the department was used to compute the rate increases. The uncertainty of how it was devised left Armstrong questioning the number.
"You're consistently uncertain," Armstrong said.
The council moved to draft a resolution outlining the increase. Members will discuss and vote on the issue during their meeting on Nov. 17.
While some seem to favor the measure to pay for debt accrued by the new wastewater treatment plant project, others voiced concerns about the actual numbers used in the recommendation.
At Tuesday's council meeting, Public Works Director Colin Simpson pointed to numbers which cite Monroe as having one of the lowest rates among 24 comparable cities and municipalities in the state. Simpson said despite years of increasing costs, through cutbacks on staff and equipment costs, the city has been able to remain at a low rate. Because of the lack of maintenance on the wastewater plant, the need for its replacement was a priority. In 2012, the city bumped the rate up by 18 percent, less than the recommended increase.
With the wastewater rate increase, the average resident of Monroe will see an increase of $27 per quarter. That would bring the average homeowner's yearly cost for water and sewer service from $734 to $842.
Alderman Tom Miller said the issue echoes how infrastructure in Monroe has been handled. Citing the parking ramp, road conditions and City Hall, Miller said without proper care, it should be expected that large amounts of money will have to be spent on projects to replace them. He said he supports the wastewater increase and is hopeful to see more proactive measures in the future to alleviate the need for a large hike in bills for residents and businesses alike.
However, Alderman Louis Armstrong, who opposed the amount of the proposed increase in previous Board of Public Works meetings, said the uncertainty regarding fixed charges gave him pause. Simpson said he was confident the public works department had been consistent in their measurements, but because the new treatment plant was not fully in action yet, the cost of operations has only been projected. A formula put in place before Simpson was a part of the department was used to compute the rate increases. The uncertainty of how it was devised left Armstrong questioning the number.
"You're consistently uncertain," Armstrong said.
The council moved to draft a resolution outlining the increase. Members will discuss and vote on the issue during their meeting on Nov. 17.