Residents of Maysville can expect higher water and sewerage bills during 2009.
After several work sessions and meetings with Chip McGaughey of EMI to discuss options, the council voted Monday night to approve the proposed 2009 budget with a 15-percent across-the-board rate increase for water and sewerage.
Council member Stephan Lewis made the motion to approve the increase with the statement that everybody should understand that it is only a temporary stop-gap. Mayor Jerry Baker also stressed that the increase is only a band-aid for the water and sewer deficit. The council approved the motion unanimously.
The increase to the base rate (less than 2,000 gallons), for a residential water and sewer customer inside the city is $3.68; a water-only customer’s bill increases $2.18. Outside the city, a water only customer’s bill increases by $3.10.
If the city had stayed with the current rates, the city would have faced a nearly $160,000 deficit. With the increase, the deficit is expected to drop to approximately $98,000 that will be taken from the reserve fund.
The council also commented that it will take aggressive action during 2009 to find money to prevent increasing the rate next year.
Other Business
Also Monday night, the Maysville council agreed to consider closing one of the nine railroad crossings on the condition the railroad grants right of way access.
