Managing editor
Even though Marion City Council didn’t have any other option Monday evening than to increase sewer usage fees, Councilman Bill Holdeman didn’t want to do it.
The council had already accepted a grant and approved a bond issue months ago to pay for the dredging of the city’s wastewater lagoons. To pay the bond, the council knew then that sewer rates would have to increase. However, at Monday’s meeting, Holdeman said he wanted to leave everything as it was.
Mayor Mary Olson asked if water rates could be increased. She was reminded that water rates had already been increased.
Other members of the council agreed they did not want to increase the rates but said they knew it had to be done to pay for the necessary maintenance.
“If the bond issue said we must do this, then we don’t have a choice,” Councilman Steve Smith said. “I’m not for raising rates any more than anyone else but I don’t see any other option.”
City officials said this was the first time the three sewer ponds had been dredged. If the process wasn’t completed, Kansas Department of Health and Environment could cite the city, costing the city even more in fines and penalties than the bond issue itself.
By increasing the base sewer rate from $12 to $15 per month per customer and increasing from $1.20 to $1.50 per 1,000 gallons for residential customers, the city would obtain approximately $46,000 per year in revenue to go toward the $75,000 bond payment, city administrator David Mayfield said.
“No one is getting pay increases,” Holdeman said. “How much money (would be left) after you pay bonds?”
“There’s no money left over,” Mayfield said. “Do you want me to lay off people? What do you want me to do?”
Mayfield continued that when the city began to upgrade electrical service several years ago, an increase in electrical rates paid for the bond, and increased water rates helped pay for a new clear well at the water treatment plant, also paid with a bond issue.
“It’s not good business to raise water rates to pay for all of it. It should be divided equally,” Mayfield said.
Olson made the motion to increase sewer rates with Chris Meierhoff seconding. In the end, Holdeman voted in favor of the motion with Jerry Kline voting against it.
The new rates will become effective Jan. 1.