With higher costs and the new Water Treatment Plant payments looming in the future, the Vandalia City Council will allow a larger increase to go into effect for the city’s water and sewer rates.
During a work session on Monday, the Vandalia City Council was presented with the yearly water and sewer audit from Tricia Elam of Timmermann & Company. Elam’s audit gives two options—the first is the recommended increases to keep up with increase water and sewer costs along with retirement funds included for the Water and Sewer Department employees and the second option that shows just the normal expenses for water and sewer in the last year. The first option shows a need for a water rate increase of 20.04% and sewer rate increase of 7.54%. The second option shows a need for an increase to meet increased costs at 10.46% for water rates and 3.47% for sewer rates. Under City ordinance, if the City Council takes no action then the first option—the 20.04% increase in water rates and the 7.54% increase in sewer rates—will automatically go into effect starting on October 1st. Mayor Doug Knebel reminded the City Council that, upon it going online, there will be some big payments coming for the new Water Treatment Plant that will increase these costs.
After some discussion, the City Council agreed to allow the increase of 20.04 % for water rates and 7.54% for sewer rates to go into effect. By taking that path, the council is hoping it will somewhat “soften the blow” of the increases that will be needed to pay for the new Water Treatment Plant. City Attorney Ryan Connor said he believes the City Council is taking the proper action.
So, officially the City Council took no action on the matter during Monday’s City Council meeting, so the larger increase will go into place starting October 1st. The increase will mean the minimum water payment will increase from $23.98 per month to $28.79 per month. And, the minimum sewer payment will increase from $14.10 per month to $15.16 per month. That means the minimum bill from the City of Vandalia (which includes water, sewer and disposal) will increase from $54.51 per month to $60.38 per month.
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