Published: September 11, 2008 10:22 am      

New Summerfield OKs utility rate increases

By Cristin Ross

crossjacksonvilleprogress.com

New Summerfield’s utility rates are going up, but not too much.

City Council members approved water, sewer and natural gas rate increases during Tuesday’s regular council session.

“We’re just trying to keep up with the times,” Mayor Dan Stallings said Wednesday. “The cost of operations has gone up so much and we’ve had to do so many repairs to our systems — we’ve spent close to $500,000 in two years on our utility infrastructure. We want to continue operating in the black.”

Water and natural gas rates will each increase 25 cents per 1,000 units used, and the city’s base sewer rate will raise from $20 to $25.

“The sewer rate hasn’t been raised since it was put in, in 1991,” Stallings said.

City officials said the average household using 2,000 gallons or less of water and 2,000 cubit feet or less of natural gas should see an increase of 50 cents a month per bill.

Council members also approved a slight reduction in commercial rates on natural gas.

“We wanted to give them a reduction because of the volume of natural gas they use,” Stallings said.

In other business, council members tabled changing health insurance providers. The council met with representatives from the Texas Municipal League last month to try to find a plan with better prices.

“We’re trying to find something that works for a little better price,” Stallings said in August.

Stallings also reported Tuesday the city’s wastewater treatment plant received a favorable audit this week from Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

“There were two minor problems they found, which have been addresses and corrected,” Stallings said Wednesday. “Everything else is in pretty good shape.”

Upgrades to the city’s water and natural gas systems were started last year after both systems received unfavorable audits from Texas Commission on Environment Quality and the Texas Railroad Commission.

The New Summerfield City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at New Summerfield City Hall on Highway 110. The public is welcome.