LAHARPE — Utility rates took center stage once again as LaHarpe City Council members warned customers to brace for more bad news.
On top of approving $8-a-month sewer meter fee hikes on Wednesday, Council members scheduled a special meeting for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to discuss how much water may cost for customers, in particular those who live outside LaHarpe City Limits.
At issue is a looming $130,000 bill to handle repairs to the city’s water tower.
And with the city’s water fund insufficient for such a major project, the city will need to drum up revenue.
Councilwoman Sharlyn Thompson noted residents inside city limits pay for water service through their utility bills, with property taxes used as well for such things as equipment.
In addition, there is no immediate funding source to pay for any kind of repairs to water lines and meters outside city limits, she added. If anything were to happen, those expenditures would be paid directly by the rural customers.
Danny Ware, city council member, added, “It’s not fair to make 500 people in town pay $130,000 for a water tower, and everybody who lives outside of town use that water, but not have to pay anything.”
The hope is to schedule a public forum with rural customers to present options.
The first would be to see a sizable increase in meter fees for those outside LaHarpe. One figure mentioned Wednesday would see those fees increase from $26.50 a month to $56.50 a month.
Councilwoman Cynthia Carr was noncommittal, noting much more information was needed.
“I’m not going to decide anything without having all of the numbers laid out in front of me in black and white,” she said. “I want to know how many people we’re talking about, where they are, how much water they use.”
The city feeds rural customers in all four directions from town.
AS PROMISED, Council members also approved an $8 monthly meter fee increase for water users in LaHarpe to help replenish the city’s sewer fund, and to increase the city’s odds to attract state and federal funding sources to replace the city’s lift stations, and to either re-line or replace sewer lines throughout town.
The Council also instituted a six-tenths-of-a-cent surcharge on every gallon of water over the first 1,000 gallons used each month.
