The Blackwell Journal-Tribune reports that the Blackwell City Council approved the first readings of proposed rate increases for water, sewer, waste, and electrical.
This does NOT mean that the increases have been approved, as they will need to be read a second time and voted on again.
These proposed increases are as follows:
Sewer- 40% increase
Waste- 4% increase
Electrical- 4% increase
Water- 4% increase.
The 40% sewer rate increase was explained that “public utilities should operate in the black” to yield a profit and should not require a transfer of monies to be breaking even. Tonight’s agenda gave an example that this would be raising the rate of an “average 4 person family” monthly sewer bill from $8 dollars to $10 dollars.
The City of Blackwell has not increased rates in 2 years. Last year the City absorbed a proposed increase to sewer rates.
Mayor T.J. Greenfield spoke to the council tonight, stating that it is hard to keep absorbing costs while trying to improve the city’s systems.
“It makes it tough to keep absorbing these increases and not raising them just enough to continue the services, let alone provide any kind of major infrastructure upgrades while continuing with day-to-day activities,” Greenfield said.
The second reading of these rate increases will be held Thursday, June 2, at 6 p.m. at the next meeting of the Blackwell City Council.
