Marion looking at rate hike

Marion residents could see an increase in their sewer rates of about $3.90 beginning Jan. 1, but before that happens, the Marion City Council at its meeting Monday wanted to hear from the public first. The reason for the increase, said City Administrator David Mayfield, is to pay the bond payments, which was passed about one month ago to replace water lines on Freeborn, Locust and dredge the city?s sewer pond. ?In order to make the payments of the bond we need to assess each department (water and sewer),? he said. ?The yearly bond payment (beginning Jan. 1) will be between $72,000 and $75,000.? The water rates were raised last year and will withstand their portion of the bond payment, he said. The last sewer rate increase was in 2003. ?Currently, the base (sewer) rate is $12 and includes residential and commercial customers,? Mayfield said. In addition to the base rate, residential and commercial pay $1.20 per 1,000 gallons of usage. The proposed changes would increase the base rate from $12 to $15 for both residential and commercial and $1.20 to $1.50 for residential only. In explaining the rationale behind raising residential and not commercial usage by 30 cents is based on how the rate is figured. For residential customers, Mayfield said, the city averages the months of January, February and March to come up with an average sewer usage rate. In the first three months of the year, he said, residents are not watering their grass or washing their cars, but are using water primarily for sewer purposes. Most residents average about 3,000 gallons of sewer usage based on those months. Commercial use is different and is charged based on all 12 months. By raising the rate $3 on the base and 30 cents on each gallon, based on what?s actually going down the city sewers, the increase would be sufficient in paying the sewer department?s share of about $43,758. Marion City Council member Bill Holdeman said he was concerned about raising rates. ?We keep raising rates, but nobody is getting raises,? he said. Holdeman wondered why this wasn?t budgeted similar to the way the city budgets a new police vehicle. Mayfield said dredging the sewer pond is a $375,000 expense, but once it is done, it?s good for 20 years. ?This is not an exorbitant amount of money,??Mayfield said, ?and the bond requires the funds (in this situation) come out of the water and sewer departments.? The council directed Mayfield to draw up an ordinance with the proposed sewer rate increase, but also wants to hear from the public about the issue. Mayfield said that one of the reasons he wanted to bring this to the council?s attention now was so they would have time to discuss it and hear from residents. The council, in other business: n unanimously approved Marty Grill Tuesday to replace Alan Meisinger, who resigned the clerk?s position last month. During the meeting, Grill said he looks forward to his new job and is enjoying the people and community. Grill and his wife, Julie, who works at the Reno County district attorney?s office, have one child. n learned Doug Kjellin, economic development director, was contacted by the Kansas Department of Commerce concerning a possible client looking for a location for a small food processing facility.

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