Utility increases possible
Published 3:00 am Wednesday, December 3, 2014
The Brundidge City Council worked from a short agenda Tuesday afternoon and considered three items but took no action.
Britt Thomas, city manger, reviewed the city’s options on utility increases in the water and sewer department.
Thomas said the proposed increase for residential customers would amount to about a 2.9 percent increase.
The average monthly water usage per residential customer is 4,500 gallons at a cost of $50.60 for water and sewage. The monthly increase per resident customer would be $2.38.
“The increase would be minimal and it would keep the City on sound financial footing,” Thomas said. “Being on sound financial footing is good business because it allows the City to provide the best services to its citizens.”
Thomas discussed the City’s proposed $1.9 million wastewater and sewer project and the probable considerations for the Council.
“The City didn’t get the Community Development Block Grant, a competitive grant for which it had applied,” Thomas said. “So, we looked at ways that we could reduce the amount of the project. By taking three pumping stations, the stations on Hardshell and Airport roads and in Johnston pasture, the project would come to $1.3 million. Then we could go after the addition money the next year.”
Thomas said doing the project in two phases should make it doable.
“We could do two projects over three years,” he said.
The Council agreed to follow the lead of the Pike County Commission and the City of Troy on the RFP contracts for ambulance service for the city.
Mayor Jimmy Ramage said the Council will not meet again before the current contract expires on Dec. 13.
“E-911 and the Troy fire chief are doing a lot of leg work on the contract proposals,” Ramage said. “We don’t want to be an island so, if we go with the lead of the county and city of Troy, we just need to wait.”
The Brundidge City Council meets at 4 p.m. the first and third Tuesdays of the month at Brundidge City Hall. The meetings are open to the public.