Water, Sewer Rate Increases Pass on First Reading

As reported in last week’s Norris Bulletin, City Council voted on first reading at their June 13th meeting to approve a City budget that includes water and sewer rate increases. Under the proposed budget, sewer rates will go up by 25%, while water rates will go up by 10%.

This topic received much discussion during the City Council meeting between Council and the Norris Water Commission (NWC). The Water Commission’s initial proposal called for a 15% increase in sewer rates and a 10% increase in water rates, aimed at funding labor costs and forthcoming upgrades to the wastewater treatment and water systems.

Mayor Chris Mitchell, expressing the significance of costs associated with these upgrades– which are estimated in the millions–stated that he did not feel the proposed 15% sewer increase was ample to provide sufficient revenue needed to start funding such repairs. He proposed an increase of $4 to the sewer rate, in addition to NWC’s requested 15% hike, to build up the project fund in addition to covering increased labor costs.

City Council will hold a public hearing for the proposed budget amendments on Friday, June 24th, at 6:00 p.m. A special called meeting of City Council, to include the second reading of the proposed budget,
will take place on Monday, June 27th, at 7:00 p.m. Both meetings will be held at the Community Building, and the public is invited.