Iolans likely will be asked to pay a shade more each month in gas meter and usage fees to help replenish a dwindling gas utility fund.
City Council members gave their reluctant endorsement to a recommendation for what would amount to a $2.50 increase in monthly meter fees for residential customers (from $10.50 to $13, plus an additional 75 cents per unit of gas for the first 1,000 units, or cubic square feet. The cost would drop to $5 for every unit after that. The current rate plan costs customers $4 for every unit above 1,000 mcf.
For perspective’s sake, City Administrator Matt Rehder said his last month’s utility bill reported 1,300 units of gas burned.