City of Vandalia residents will see a slight increase in their water and sewer rates beginning October 1. With the fiscal year audit, Dale Timmerman of Timmerman & Associates presented the city with two possible options as part of the yearly audit presented at the council’s first meeting of the month. The first option was rather large increases of 15.18% in water rates and 6.05% for sewer. Timmerman also presented a second option with a smaller water rate increase of 3.11% for water and no increase for sewer. During discussion, a figure of a 1% increase in sewer was proposed in the form of a motion by alderman Jerry Swarm along with the suggested lower increase of 3.11% for water rates. Alderman Andy Lester, however, also proposed no increases stating he felt that residents were being hit every year and he would like to see the rates stand pat for just a year. With a motion on the table, the council approved the motion for a 3.11% increase in water rates and a 1% increase in sewer rates by a vote of 5-2 with Lester and alderwoman Dorothy Crawford casting the two “no” votes.