Water, trash sewer rates to climb in Graham
by David Rupkalvis
(Posted 10/6/2009 02:38 pm)
By David Rupkalvis
editor@grahamleader.com
Sewer and water rates will be climbing for residents of Graham.
By a unanimous vote Thursday, the Graham City Council approved the sewer and water rates for the 2010 fiscal year, with each rate rising a little.
City Manager Larry Fields said the sewer rate jumped around 3 percent for residential customers with the average customer seeing an increase of $1.30 a month.
“The sewer rate, on residences we have a minimum and a maximum,” Fields said. “We are increasing the minimum to $19 and the maximum to $26, but the per $1,000 gallon rate remained the same.”
In Graham, the sewer rate is established by gauging the amount of water used in January, February and March. The city charges $19 for the first 2,000 gallons of water used and $2.50 for each additional 1,000 gallons used. New residences with no history are charged $20.50 a month.
The water rate increased $1 a month for the first 2,000 gallons and 20 cents for each additional 1,000 gallons.
The council also approved trash rates for 2010, voting to raise the rate by approximately $2 a month. Fields said the increase was necessary to keep the city from losing money on trash service.
City council also voted to accept grant funds from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants Program. The program, which is funded by federal stimulus funds, provides money to local governments to reduce energy consumption.
“We, the city of Graham, are eligible for up to $35,000 for energy efficiency projects,” Fields said. “We don’t have any identified right now, but we’ll find some.”
Fields said the city has already taken steps to reduce energy use.
“We did this five or six years ago,” he said. “All of our buildings have already been retrofitted with energy efficient products. That doesn’t mean we can’t find more. We’ll probably find we can spend more than $35,000.”
Fields said he already has one project in mind, saying he’d like to spend the money on work being done at Graham Memorial Auditorium. Fields said the new roof and air conditioner being installed at the auditorium do qualify as a project to save energy. Fields said the city is working to get a grant from Encore in the $25,000 to $50,000 range.
“If we can get this $35,000 to go with the Encore grant, it will go a long way toward paying for the roof,” Fields said.
“I think we will find we can spend more,” Mayor Wayne Christian said.
by David Rupkalvis
(Posted 10/6/2009 02:38 pm)
By David Rupkalvis
editor@grahamleader.com
Sewer and water rates will be climbing for residents of Graham.
By a unanimous vote Thursday, the Graham City Council approved the sewer and water rates for the 2010 fiscal year, with each rate rising a little.
City Manager Larry Fields said the sewer rate jumped around 3 percent for residential customers with the average customer seeing an increase of $1.30 a month.
“The sewer rate, on residences we have a minimum and a maximum,” Fields said. “We are increasing the minimum to $19 and the maximum to $26, but the per $1,000 gallon rate remained the same.”
In Graham, the sewer rate is established by gauging the amount of water used in January, February and March. The city charges $19 for the first 2,000 gallons of water used and $2.50 for each additional 1,000 gallons used. New residences with no history are charged $20.50 a month.
The water rate increased $1 a month for the first 2,000 gallons and 20 cents for each additional 1,000 gallons.
The council also approved trash rates for 2010, voting to raise the rate by approximately $2 a month. Fields said the increase was necessary to keep the city from losing money on trash service.
City council also voted to accept grant funds from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants Program. The program, which is funded by federal stimulus funds, provides money to local governments to reduce energy consumption.
“We, the city of Graham, are eligible for up to $35,000 for energy efficiency projects,” Fields said. “We don’t have any identified right now, but we’ll find some.”
Fields said the city has already taken steps to reduce energy use.
“We did this five or six years ago,” he said. “All of our buildings have already been retrofitted with energy efficient products. That doesn’t mean we can’t find more. We’ll probably find we can spend more than $35,000.”
Fields said he already has one project in mind, saying he’d like to spend the money on work being done at Graham Memorial Auditorium. Fields said the new roof and air conditioner being installed at the auditorium do qualify as a project to save energy. Fields said the city is working to get a grant from Encore in the $25,000 to $50,000 range.
“If we can get this $35,000 to go with the Encore grant, it will go a long way toward paying for the roof,” Fields said.
“I think we will find we can spend more,” Mayor Wayne Christian said.
