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COLUMBIANA -- The city is looking into the possibility of raising water and sewer rates in the future.
City Manager Lance Willard said during the Dec. 19 city council meeting that the city is still working on a recommendation for the rates with the Rural Communities Assistance Partnership (RCAP).
RCAP is a national network of non-profit partners that provides assistance to communities of 10,000 people or less, with a focus on improving infrastructure.
RCAP provided funding assistance for the city's new water treatment plant project in 2005 in addition to conducting a prior rate study to help the city cover the costs of the project.
"The new water plant has been on line since 2018 so we have a good record of what it will cost to operate the new plant," Willard said.
RCAP is expected to release the results of its most recent study to the city soon, and Willard recommended a subcommittee of council members attend a summary presentation before council considers any recommended changes to the rates.
However, it was discussed during the meeting that a public workshop be scheduled instead for the RCAP presentation.
The workshop is yet to be scheduled.
The city was advised by former finance director Mike Harold during a budget discussion in 2022 that the water and sewer rates would need to be increased.
At that time he told council that wage increases, benefits, raises and replacement of system equipment make the rate increase unavoidable.
Water rates have not increased since 2004 and sewer rates have not increased since 2005.
Harold also said at that time that the biggest drains on funds consisted of overtime due to low staffing and the increase in gas prices to operate city vehicles.