43
Girard weighs water rates ordinance
girard
City council is considering an ordinance to raise water rates based on the cost of living as gauged by the Consumer Price Index.
Councilman Joe Shelby asked for the legislation, which would end the administration’s right to raise water rates and give it to the council.
The legislation passed one of three readings last week.
Mayor Jim Melfi said the city’s law director, Brian Kren, is researching whether the ordinance can legally take that right away from the administration, and that he won’t comment until Kren finds out more.
Shelby said he believes it is legal.
“We’re totally within our rights,” he said, adding that council gave the administration the right to set the rates, and the council can rescind it.
“I’d like to keep it out of the hands of the administration so they don’t consider political ramifications, and I’d like it tied to the CPI,” he said.
Council members are elected, he acknowledged. “We run for two-year terms,” he said. “Political ramifications to me have no impact.”
The legislation reads that the city’s public service director has to submit a proposed water-rates schedule every year to council before March 1, including the CPI annual cost-of-living adjustment.
The resulting adjusted rates, together with a table or schedule of adjusted water rates, would take effect on the effective date of the ordinance.
If the council decides the proposed rate schedule is insufficient to meet the needs of the city’s water system for the next year, or it finds the cost of living adjustment based upon the CPI is inconsistent with its needs for operating and maintaining the water system, it can change the rates proposal. If it doesn’t amend the proposal, it goes through as submitted by the service director.
Shelby said the city has increased water rates only “in retrospect,” and there is no money for maintenance.
“We have a great deal of antiquated lines,” he said.
He said he wants to ensure the water department is run properly. “We’re covered by state statute that the department has to run in the black,” he said.