Some City Council members said they were shocked Tuesday after hearing a 5.5 percent sewer increase was wrapped inside the city’s 2010-2011 fiscal year budget.
“I specifically asked for it to be taken out,” Councilwoman Deborah Scott said.
The new fee hike will be split between a 2.75 percent increase in October and a 2.75 percent increase in April 2011, said Jerry Stewart, the city’s director of waste resources. That translates to a 70-cent increase on the average use of 5,000 gallons a month in October and a 65-cent increase in April, city records show.
The last time the city raised sewer rates was last year by 3 percent. It comes on the heels of a 19 percent property tax increase and a hike to $115.20 a year for residential water quality, or stormwater, fees.
Mr. Stewart said the reason for the increase was sewer treatment upgrades and future retiree benefits.
After the meeting, he said the council was supposed to talk about the sewer rate increase during its budget meetings, but no one ever raised the issue.
“They never asked for it,” he said.
BY THE NUMBERS70 cents: Expected jump in payments for an average 5,000 gallons of sewer usage in October 65 cents: Average jump in payments for an average 5,000 gallons of sewer usage in April5.5 percent: Sewer fee hike that will be split between October and April 2011Source: Chattanooga
During the course of the budget meetings last week, Mrs. Scott at one point asked that the sewer portion of the budget be taken out so the council could be given a separate presentation. Mr. Stewart gave that presentation Tuesday and announced it was part of the budget passed last week.
Mrs. Scott said afterward she thought that having a separate presentation meant the sewer portion would not be part of the budget passed last week.
Daisy Madison, the city’s chief financial officer, said Tuesday she never was given a directive from anyone not to include it.
“They had the option,” she said. “But it was never pulled.”
Councilman Russell Gilbert said after the meeting he was in a bit of disbelief himself.
“I thought it was taken out,” he said.