McMinnville officials are considering measures that will increase water and sewer connection fees, increase the penalties for cutting off locks to disconnected water customers, and increase the after-hour service fee to reconnect.
According to Water Department director Anthony Pelham, the city is losing money on its water tapping fees – the charge for connecting to the city’s water supply.
“Currently, we are losing money every time we set a tap,” said Pelham. “In some cases, we aren’t even covering our material costs on our meters. What you have in front of you is what I recommend, inside the city and outside the city, as well as 4-inch and 6-inch sewer taps.”
Pelham proposed the following changes to water tapping fees:
• 5/8 by 3/4-inch service connection for customers inside the city limits would increase from $900 to $1,000 and customers outside the city limits from $1,050 to $1,150. The city’s material cost alone is $1,198.
• 1-inch service connection inside the city limits would increase from $1,150 to $1,750 and outside the city limits would increase from $1,300 to $2,000. The city’s material cost alone is $1,383.
• 1 and ½-inch service connection inside the city limits would increase from $1,650 to $2,500 and outside the city limits would increase from $1,800 to $2,800. The city’s material cost alone is $2,131.
Proposed for sewer tap fees: a 4-inch line would increase from $750 to $1,000 and a 6-inch line would increase from $750 to $1,250. The city’s material cost alone is $808 and $999, respectively.
The information was presented to Water and Sewer Committee members Jimmy Bonner, Everett Brock and Mike Neal.
When it comes to customers who have their water shut off and opt to cut the city’s lock off in order to obtain water illegally, Pelham recommended an increase.
“The fees that I’m trying to impact is cut-off locks,” Pelham said. “If someone damages one of our meters, the cost for a raw meter is $180. If they cut the lock off, they damage not only the lock, which is $25 or $30, they also damage a $180 meter.”
Currently, the city charges $50 for the lock and $50 to reset the meter. The customers is not charged for the meter if it is damaged during the attempt to cut off the lock.
“I would like to take the cut-off locks fee up to $100 and increase the reset of the meter up to $100 in an effort to discourage that a little more, as well as require any damages done to our facility to be paid for by the account holder.”
Also requested was an increase in the after-hour service fee for when an employee has to work overtime to reconnect a disconnected customer. Currently, the city charges $40 after 4 p.m. and $50 on weekends and holidays.
Pelham proposed taking those fees up to $50 after 4 p.m. and $75 on weekends and holidays to cover costs.
“Right now, our fees do not cover the city’s time,” said Pelham. “I propose taking those up a little bit just to try and break even, if we have to call someone in on overtime in the evening, weekend or holidays.”
The discussion was tabled in order to give committee members time to review the recommended changes.