Rate increase vote delayed by council

By Tom Treweek

Posted: July 29, 2009 at 9:08 a.m.

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ROGERS — Water rates may soon be on the rise, but it will be at least two weeks before that happens. During Tuesday's meeting, the City Council voted unanimously to table a proposal by the Rogers Water Utilities that would raise the city's water rates by 9 percent in 2010 and 6 percent in 2011.

At Councilman Gary Townzen's request, the city has tentatively scheduled a public hearing for 6 p.m. next Tuesday to discuss the rate increase.

But at Tuesday's meeting, only one resident addressed the proposed ordinance.

"I'm really opposed to the water raise," said Richard Lewis of Rogers. "People on fixed income and things like that, it really hurts. I just really can't afford any more."

HDR Engineering Vice President Tom Gould said the increased rates would cost average residents an additional $1.07 per month in 2010 and another 78 cents the following year.

The increase, Gould said, would still see Rogers residents paying less for water than those in Fayetteville, Bentonville and Bella Vista. The rates are roughly even with Springdale's.

The utility is nearly $400,000 for this fiscal year, thanks to a decrease in water usage, Gould said, and the utility does not see much room to cut costs.

The rate increase, if approved at the Aug. 11 meeting, would only affect water rates, not sewage or garbage removal.

One cost increase did pass. The council unanimously approved an ordinance that would allow the Rogers District Court to levy an additional $20 fee earmarked for the Benton County Jail.

News, Pages 1 on 07/29/2009

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