By Paula Horton - Daily World Writer, The Aberdeen Daily World , 2/14/2002
Aberdeen residents will pay $2.23 more each month for sewer service beginning March 1 under an ordinance adopted by the City Council last night.
After five weeks of consideration and a nearly hour - long discussion last night, council members voted 7 - 5 to implement a compromise rate increase of 9.5 percent.
Sewer customers will now pay $25.73 a month, compared to the current $23.50.
"I'm pleased with the action of the council," Public Works Director Larry Bledsoe said afterward, adding that the rate increase will prevent the Sewer Department from laying off a worker. "The real difference will just be in the utilization of reserves."
Bledsoe had originally asked the council to adopt a 14.7 percent rate hike that would have boosted a typical residential bill by $3.45 per month to $26.95. He cited rising electricity costs, inflation and bond payments as the reason for a $377,000 shortfall in the Sewer Department's $3.7 million budget.
However, many council members felt a 14.7 percent rate hike was too large and the council's Finance Committee asked Bledsoe to find ways to trim his budget.
He returned last week and presented a plan detailing the adjustments and job losses he felt would be necessary if the council didn't increase rates.
The lowest figure he said he could work with was a 7.07 percent increase, but that would have resulted in terminating a position in the collection maintenance crew, for a savings of about $43,000.
Council members were committed to not cutting any jobs and debated an increase of 8.75 percent or 10 percent for about an hour.
The 8.75 percent increase - which would have added $2.06 to a monthly bill - was the lowest amount Bledsoe said he could work with without having to lose an employee. He's already planning to combine two positions and work with one less person in the department.
Bledsoe said a 10 percent increase would give him a little bit more breathing room.
Councilman Tim Shute said he supported the 10 percent rate increase because it would give the department about $36,000 more revenue than the 8.75 percent.
"I love the Sewer Department," Shute said. "There's nothing I like better than flushing the toilet and seeing it go away. I'm not trying to whittle (the budget) down so they can't function."
Some council members said the difference between the 8.75 percent and 10 percent is merely 29 cents, so they might as well just approve the higher amount.
However, other council members, including Alice Phelps, said 29 cents can be a big difference to some people.
"A lot of people, for that (29 cents) - and I'm telling you the truth - are going to have to sell cans to get that," she said.
It was clear the council was divided, so Shute proposed a 9.5 percent increase as a compromise.
Bledsoe said that he understood and respected the council's decision to find a way to lessen the impact on residents and that he would be comfortable with whatever amount they decided.
"I won't be losing any sleep over an 8.75 (percent increase)," he said. "Anything over that, will just make me sleep better."
Paula Horton, a Daily World writer, can be reached at 532 - 4000, ext. 132, or by e - mail at phorton@thedailyworld.com
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