Trending
EAST LIVERPOOL --During a joint meeting between the East Liverpool City Council's Refuse & Recycling/Public Utilities/Franchise and the Finance/Labor Committee held Tuesday, the committees discussed a potential water rate increase.
Council member Brian Kerr said that the water department is facing a $100,000 deficit this year. It could possibly be more with the more the increase in electric rates expected to happen in June
"Our water bank account is going down. If something were to happen, we wouldn't have the money in there, so at this point how can we address that issue," Kerr said. "We can recommend a water rate increase. Right now, we are the lowest anywhere around."
Council member Fred Rayl said council can adopt a resolution recommending a water rate increase.
Rayl told the committee members that Julie Ward from Rural Development declared in 2018 that the city needed to implement a 13% increase right away and add a 3% annual increase.
The city hasn't seen a water increase since 2017 and currently has the lowest rates in the surrounding areas with a rate of $8.40 per 1,000 gallons, Rayl said.
Safety Service Director David Dawson said a $4 raise would bring in over $19,000 per month more and $236,000 per year. It would bring the city up to 12%.
The increase in the beginning needs to be substantially low, Dawson told council. They need to start low and every year add to that.
According to Kerr, chemicals have doubled or probably even tripled, and the city hasn't raised rates but are still paying more for the chemicals. Rayl said the water department is at a critical junction now where they have to do something.
When told that he could raise the rates, Dawson said that he thought all the council members involved need to agree that a raise needs to happen and have a resolution with council agreeing to the rate increase so that everyone was on the same page. Everyone needs to agree on what is acceptable to get started, Dawson said. It can always be adjusted later once it gets started. Add a percentage per year and the Board of Public Utilities can look at and address at a later and say what needs to be done to get the department where it needs to be.
The Finance Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. on April 25 in the council chambers at City Hall to further this issue.