Thursday's Internet Edition, September 02, 2010.

City council members Cecil Banks, Toby Ford and Robin Stump approved first reading of an ordinance to raise rates during their Thursday evening meeting at the municipal building. Councilmen David Holland and Aaron Richardson did not attend.

“There’s never a good time to do this, but the sanitary board totally supports it and David and Aaron support it,” mayor Terry Williams told the other council members. “I’ve heard no negative comments about it.”

If passed on second reading, sewer bills for customers of the Spencer system would increase by 10 percent. The minimum bill would go to $15.70 a month, a 34.2 percent hike, and the unmetered charge for both residential and commercial customers would increase by 20.8 percent.

Williams said it would take three months at best before the new rates would go into effect. The state Public Service Commission allows a time for customers to protest the proposal.

According to Williams, the sewer system needs to have higher rates in order to qualify for grants that would be used for plant improvements. Funds from the current rate hike would go toward operating expenses.
“This will not put us where we need to be,” Williams, who blamed himself for not raising the rates sooner, said. “At least it will get us moving in the right direction. I think it’s fair and a very small amount of dollars.”

Also Thursday, the mayor reported that the city would have up to $100,000 more than the $130,000 budgeted as surplus funds in the fiscal year that began July 1. He said he would know the exact amount of the windfall after June bills were paid.

City public works director Rob Miller gave an update on two current projects involving the water system. A water line extension east of Spencer to serve Arnoldsburg Road, Boggs Fork and Slate Run was one-fourth complete, Miller reported. He said most of the work along Arnoldsburg Road had been completed and that crews would concentrate this week on Slate Road, which will be open to local traffic only.

Council approved payments of $74,787.43 to the contractor, Bruce Allen Inc., and $10,089.43 to Boyles & Hildreth for engineering work.

Miller also said that some 400 water meters had been changed to radio-read meters along Ripley and Parkersburg roads, Lynn Street and Nancy’s Run. Changing meters for the entire system should be done by this fall, he added. Improvements at the treatment plant are part of the project as well and should be completed by the end of the year, he said.

Council approved payments of $128,535 to Ferguson Waterworks, $69,236.95 to Young Builders & Construction Inc. and $8,343.71 to the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Council, all for work associated with the water system improvements project.

Council also:

ν Heard an update from city marketing director Jacob Fetty, who said he had been recruiting crafters and flea marketers from other festivals to come to the W.Va. Black Walnut Festival. Fetty said he had also been interviewed by Southern Living magazine about the festival.

ν Learned that the Spencer Farmers’ Market was considering a move from the Committee on Aging parking lot to a more visible location at the corner of Capitol and Virginia streets.

ν Heard from Williams that one option for having a motel locate along Williams Drive behind Walmart involved the Spencer Development Authority owning the building.

ν Learned that the city-owned Chandler Building would receive a new roof this month. The vacant apartment building will be marketed after it is used to house the Black Walnut Festival quilt show in October.

The next city council meeting is 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 5 at the municipal building.