Various fee increases for McMinnville Water and Sewer Department were again tabled in committee, and another push by Alderman Jimmy Bonner for a water rate increase was shot down.
“There are projects coming up the department will need the money for,” said Bonner.
Bonner has pushed for a water rate increase several times over the past year or more, stating that small increases would prevent larger ones such as the one in January 2014 when customers inside the city limit were given a 19 percent increase and those outside the city limit saw a 30 percent increase.
In October 2015, the last push by Bonner for an increase, he proposed a 2 percent increase. At that time, the decision was made to wait until after a new water department director was hired in 2016. Anthony Pelham was hired in January.
Bonner asked for a 1.5-cent water rate increase during last week’s Water and Sewer Committee meeting.
“If we do this right here, we’ll have a little extra to do projects with,” said Bonner. “I still say, further down the line, it’s going to stop a big water rate increase. If we can do a cent and a half every year, I think we would stop a big rate increase.”
On the committee with Bonner are Aldermen Everett Brock and Mike Neal.
Brock, who is also Finance Committee chair, said an increase is unnecessary.
“We can do the $4 million project we’re talking about with the money we have today,” said Brock. “A year ago, we had $1.1 million in the Water and Sewer budget. Six months ago, we had $1.5 million. Today, we have $2.2 million. All that is from the rate increase you enacted a little over a year ago. I just don’t see where we need an increase,” said Brock.
Bonner made a motion to increase water rates by the proposed amount. His measured failed due to lack of a second.
The measures to 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 were tabled after a brief discussion due to Water Department director Anthony Pelham being unable to attend the meeting.
“Anthony and I talked about was removing the after-hours service fee,” said Bonner.
Pelham proposed taking those fees up to $50 after 4 p.m. and $75 on weekends and holidays to cover the cost of paying an individual time-and-a-half to come in and reconnect the customer.
However, said Bonner, the city has an employee on staff until 9 p.m. so the city shouldn’t be charging extra for that service until after that time.
Brock said he still has a problem with the proposed connection fee increases being less than the city’s actual expenses.
The fee increase measures were tabled until Pelham could be in attendance.