While the decision hasn’t been finalized and passed as a bylaw yet, town council agreed in principle Monday night to a two percent increase to sewer and water rates for all local customers.
Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown was directed by council last month to calculate the impact of rate increases of one, two, and three percent.
He came back to council Monday with a report recommending that two percent would be sufficient to cover operating costs while generating a little extra revenue (about $78,000) to put into reserves in anticipation of future repairs to Fort Frances’ aging infrastructure.
Brown noted the proposed increase would mean an extra $14.66 a year to the average residential customer and an extra $19.32 to flat rate commercial.
“The increase is reasonable compared to what’s happening elsewhere in Ontario,” said Brown, adding the Operations and Facilities division always is working hard to drive operating costs down by increasing efficiency and minimizing waste at the treatment plant.
“We’re moving in the right direction,” he remarked.
“The two percent will keep us in the black and give us some money to put into reserves for future maintenance,” Coun. Sharon Tibbs said of the proposed hike.
The bylaw to finalize the rate increase will be voted on at a special council meeting at noon on Friday, March 2.
< *c>Water usage
Council also approved a report from Brown to amend the town’s water system management bylaw in regards to sealing off supply to vacant multi-residential units and trailers.
Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft, chair of the Operations and Facilities executive committee, noted this aspect of the bylaw had to be investigated after the town realized that in some multi-residential buildings and trailer parks, units that were declared vacant were, in fact, being used, with the residents getting their water without being charged.
After lengthy discussions with stakeholders, the executive committee came up with two options.
One was a system whereby the town would put a seal on the isolation valve at a residence when a vacancy was declared (shutting off the water service), only to be removed (and water service returned) once that residence was again occupied.
The initial sealing would be at cost to the town while the removal fee would be picked up by the landlord/trailer park owner.
The second option, which council ended up agreeing to Monday after a recommendation from the Operations and Facilities executive committee, states that when a vacancy is declared, the town doesn’t seal the isolation valve and the landlord/trailer park operator follows an honour system, stating that no tenants are using the residence.
However, these vacant residences are open to random checks by the town to verify that vacancy status. And violators will be penalized without question.
The penalty is a $500 fine plus other costs, such as charges for water and sewer services back to when the notification was given to the town that the unit(s) were vacant.
“We feel this system will penalize the cheaters,” said Coun. Wiedenhoeft, adding it won’t affect those who abide by the honour system.
Coun. Paul Ryan noted the town should have “zero tolerance” with the $500 fine.
“If we’re going to fine people, we should fine them,” echoed Coun. Tibbs.
Coun. Ryan also said the town eventually must look into water meters for all town customers, as this would help solve problems such as the valve sealing debate.
Coun. Wiedenhoeft agreed, mentioning water meters would “go a long way” to curb the waste of water here.
Brown noted that by the end of 2010, electrical “smart meters” will be installed on every electrical customer in Fort Frances.
As a result of this regulatory requirement, a new communication system for the “smart meter” will be available that also can be used to retrieve water usage data from water meters.
As such, the installation of water meters will run parallel with the installation of the “smart meters” to realize cost savings.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
