City Council OKs sewer fee increase

The City Council voted 6-3 Tuesday night for an average 70 cent-per-month increase on sewer user fees, even as some council members grumbled that now is not the time to raise payments.

"It's raising another fee," said Councilman Russell Gilbert. "The bottom line is the people are hurting."

Mr. Gilbert, along with Councilman Peter Murphy and Councilwoman Deborah Scott, voted against the measure. It comes on the heels of the council's approving a water quality fee increase more than a month ago. The council also voted to defer the $59 million capital improvement budget for one more week because of concerns about how and where the money would be spent.

Councilwoman Pam Ladd said she has heard from several of her constituents that, unlike the water quality fee, at least the sewer fee has gone up in increments. Councilwoman Carol Berz agreed.

"We don't all of a sudden hit those people with taxes," she said.

Councilwoman Deborah Scott argued that those 3 percent increases add up over time.

"We've seen multiple increases over a short period of time," she said.

City records show the sewer fees have gone up since 2003. The residential rate has gone from $3.09 per 1,000 gallons of water in 2003 to $4.75 per 1,000 gallons.

The Budget, Personnel and Finance Committee of the council also started going line-by-line through the capital improvement budget, but stopped midway through the process.

Most questions centered around particular spending projects such as speed humps, road improvements and building a downtown police precinct at the old Farmer's Market.

Mrs. Scott asked why $50,000 was allocated for the Tennessee Riverwalk extension to Alstom.

"Why does that have to be this year?" she said.

Mayor Ron Littlefield said that was because the extension was part of a deal struck with the plant as part of its expansion plan.

"We have a commitment," he said.

Councilwoman Sally Robinson also asked that council members consider finding some money to fund a $3 million improvement of Hamill Road because developers want to put a $25 million development in the area.

The council will discuss the projects again next week.