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City sewer rates may be going up
Published 12:31pm Thursday, September 10, 2009By AUSTIN PHILLIPS / City Editor
PELHAM — Residents who use the city sewer system may see an increase in their monthly bill following a special called City Council meeting Wednesday night.
During the meeting, Mayor Don Murphy presented the 2009-10 budget to the council, including increased sewer rates to cover the millions of dollars the system has been losing for more than a decade.
Billy Shepherd, a consultant for the Water Board, presented figures at the meeting that showed the city has been losing anywhere from $1-2 million each year on the sewer system due to a lack of city growth and rising maintenance costs.
The council revamped water rates in 2004 to offset costs, and may have to do the same with sewer rates to continue providing quality, efficient service.
During the years the sewer department has failed to pay for itself, the money deficit has had to come from the city’s general fund to balance the budget.
Council President Mike Dickens said the thought of the city losing that much money each year for more than a decade is unnerving.
“It’s absolutely absurd we haven’t taken an inquiry on this for 10-12 years,” Dickens said. “It’s ridiculous.”
Under the proposal made Wednesday night, residents who pay a flat sewer rate of $22 could see their monthly bill increase to as much as 100 percent on the high end, but as little as $2 for the minimum user. The average increase will be around $8.10.
Large businesses who pay a flat rate of $44 for sewer usage could see an increase as much as 100 percent or as little as $23.
The Water and Sewer Department currently has approximately $8 million in reserves, but Director Eddy Jowers said $5 million of that would need to be spent in the next two years for planned projects.
Council member Karyl Rice said she is concerned some citizens will not be able to handle the rate increase in this down economy, while also saying she is concerned the city is trying to make money instead of just covering costs.
“It is immoral to take money that’s not ours,” Rice said. “I don’t think we need to look at this city as a profit-making machine.”
The council must approve the budget by Sept. 21, although the sewer rate increase may be separated from the city budget so that the council will have more time to look at their options. If the sewer rate increase is separated from the budget, the money to cover the expenses will come from the general fund, like years past, until a rate increase can be enacted to cover the costs.
Curious about something else. Is the city still paying Bradley Arant consultant fees to get Obama money? Haven’t heard them say a word about that lately.
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So, now we start to see the true colors coming out! If you read our new full color (I am sure very inexpensive) city publication you might remember this on the Mayor’s page, specifically the last part about our city being in a financial position to help! “Three years ago the city council decided to reimburse the schools for water, sewer and garbage on an annual basis to insure the donations remained at the local level in each school. These donations are needed more than ever with the effects of pro-ration hitting our schools hard this year, and I’m pleased the city is in a financial position to help. “ August 2009 issue Pelham Magazine
OR “Resolution 2009-08-31-01 was introduced authorizing an expenditure not to exceed $11,250 to broadcast Pelham High School football games. The resolution called for $3,750 to be spent in FY2009 and the balance of $7,500 to be appropriated in the FY2010″ from minutes of City Council Mtg 8-31-09 EXCUSE ME BUT WHOSE BRIGHT IDEA IS THIS? IF SOMEONE WANTS TO HEAR THE GAME, THEN SUPPORT THE SCHOOL AND BUY A TICKET AND SIT IN THE BLEACHERS..DON’T WASTE MY TAX DOLLARS ON A BROADCAST THAT MOST WILL NOT LISTEN TO.
OR “Resolution 2009-08-03-06 was introduced authorizing the mayor to apply for 80/20 funding from ALDOT for a sidewalk project from Bearden Road through Pelham City Park to Highway 31.” from Minutes of City Council Mtg 8-3-09 – WHY DO WE NEED A SIDEWALK FROM BEARDEN TO HIGHWAY 31??? WHO CUTS THROUGH THE CITY PARK ANYWAY? Okay, so you are going to raise my sewer rate AND raise my garbage pick-up service (you tabled the contract discussion prior to a city council meeting, then minutes of next meeting reflect a wonderful suggestion of maybe we should get bids but we’ll do it next time around) but what the hey…WE HAVE LOVELY SIDEWALKS ON HWY 119 AND EMPTY BUSINESS BUILDINGS SITTING ON HWY 31 AND LET US NOT FORGET THE BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC GOING NORTH EACH MORNING BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO BE ON 1-65 GOING NORTH WITH THE CONSTRUCTION THAT GOES ON AND ON AND ON….Oh, I almost forgot…MONEY TO FIX THE TENNIS COURTS (are they that old?) Guess that’s city life! Please answer this- How do we lose $1-$2 millon a year due to lack of city growth and rising maintenance costs for over a decade and this is the first time citizens hear about it??
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Government IS NOT in business to make a big profit. Local government is especially there to provide services. The city is making enough overall to cover expenses and have money left in reserve. The previous administration did an excellent job in enhancing our infrastructure in order to atract more commercial growth. If they do raise rates, I hope they don’t go with the rates this “consultant” has come up with. The last thing this city needs is the highest sewer rates in the area. That will be a nice, quick way to send potential businesses to other areas once the economy picks back up.
I and many others are far more concered about the continued consultant and other reckless spending (putting friends in jobs without giving any cost estimates) than I am about blaming people who are supposedly responsible for the rates being too low. Mr. Dickens has had plenty of time to make this argument. He’s been too busy playing the blame game, and this time around, blowing money right and left on HIS projects. I fear they will soon attempt to cut services and employees in order to fund more unnecessesary pet projects, all the while placing blame on others while they empty the bank account.
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Excuse me Mr. Dickens, but weren’t you on the council before this year? IF so, why didn’t you say something about this then. I would be very interested to know more about this “study” performed by Billy Shepherd, and how did he come to get this job.
Bravo to you, Ms. Rice.
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