Sewer Rates Increase After Third Reading Of Ordinance
Oskaloosa City Hall
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Oskaloosa City Council met on Monday night, where the final reading of an ordinance to increase user fees to pay “for expenses associated with the city’s wastewater treatment works” was read.
“The average residential customer utilizes 4.54 units of sewer per month and, based upon the recommended increase, the average sewer customer can expect their monthly bill to be $8.30 per month higher than it is today.”
“The recommended increase associated with this agenda item also sets rates at a point where the future $32 million plus sewer plant upgrade can be paid for without additional rate increases (assuming no growth or loss in utilization and revenues meet projections). Future adjustments to the rate should reflect needed offsets for operational expenses and/or inflation. This still allows the fund to make loan payments for the new treatment plant that must be operational within ten years. Therefore, if operational costs increase 5%, the recommended rate increase that year would be 5%. If operational costs increase 2%, rates would expect to rise 2%.”
The council opened a public hearing in regards to authorization of a Loan and Disbursement Agreement and issuance of $8,267,600 Sewer Revenue Capital Loan Notes for the Inflow and Infiltration Collection System Improvements and the 2019 Sanitary Sewer Improvements. The funds will be borrowed through the Iowa Finance Authority who will make a low-interest loan under the terms of the Loan and Disbursement Agreement to the City.
With no comments from the public, the measure passed unanimously.
* The council also heard from City Manager Michael Schrock on the Fire Department presentation of 4th Quarter Code Enforcement Report.
* The council approved appointing Tom Walling, Steve Burnett, Andrew Jensen, and Michael Schrock to an ad hoc committee to conduct an audit of the Oskaloosa Rental Housing Inspection Program.
* Approved a resolution to approve, and direct the Mayor to
execute, a professional services agreement with Garden and
Associates, Ltd. for engineering services related to new
streetlight poles on D Street in an amount not to exceed
$10,000.00.
* Approved a resolution approving the 2018 Pool Slide Rehabilitation Project in the amount of $39,400, with a start date of early February, depending upon weather conditions.
* Approved a resolution adopting the proposed 2017-2018
budget amendment and the proposed 2018-2019 budget, and
setting the date for the public hearing. The date is set for Tuesday, February 20th.
* Approved a resolution setting time and place to conduct a
public hearing on the city of Oskaloosa Capital Improvement
Plan for Fiscal Years 2019 through 2023. The date is set for Tuesday, February 20th.
