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Show City Finalized Rate Changes VJith Some Modifications W ater and sewer rates were finalized Tuesday night by the Moab City Council with some modifications in the charges to residential users and a change in the date when the increase becomes effective. Commercial rates, sewer charges and water and sewer connection charges which were agreed upon by the Council March 22, were made definitive in the Tuesday action. There was opposition to all the increases, but the major objections dealt with the residential charges and the proposed retroactive charge which would have shown up in the April billing. Opponents argued that the increase for residential use exceeded the announced forty per cent jump. They also argued that making the rates retroactive was like getting an increase in price on merchandise after you had purchased it and used it. After the discussion the Council changed the residential rates to S4.00 for up to 2,000 gallons (no change). .31 per thousand for the next 8,000 gallons (down from .35) and .43 for each thousand gallons in excess of 10.000 gallons (down from .45). That still exceeds forty per cent in that the old rate was S2.50 minimum and .22 per thousand thereafter. Council members noted that the graduated costs were, in part, a conservation measure to discourage heavy use. They are. of course, revenue producing and are in line with the anticipated costs of the next five years. Accepting the comment of Les Erbes. the Council removed the retroactive tag on the increase. Mr. Erbes said. "If it's a point of dissension with the citizenry, why not defer it? You're only talking about a thousand five hundred dollars." The Council concurred and the rate increase will not be effective until the May billing. Among dissenting voices at the meeting were senior citizens and trailer court owners. Mayor McDougald pointed out again that this increase was the first since 1962, and followed a year when the svstem not only lost money, but incured heavy cost. In other business, the Council heard a report from City Engineer John Keogh on the progress made on the "Corbin Well." Mr. Keogh said 4.000 feet of the proposed 13,050 foot line was in place which is about 30 per cent of completion. Keogh said that some of the pipe received was defective and would be returned. However, he noted that the problem had been ironed out and the producer had agreed to reimburse the contractor and city and provide material that would meet specifications. |
