Commission declines to raise city’s water rates
Iolans will begin paying a monthly charge for stormwater collections, although Iola commissioners declined to touch the city’s water rates and the admission fees to the Iola Municipal Pool.
Commissioners voted 2-1 to institute the $2-per-month stormwater surcharge on Iolans’ utility bills.
The surcharge will go to maintenance of Iola’s aging stormwater collection system, City Administrator Judy Brigham said.
The stormwater facilities — like Iola’s water lines — were installed in the early 20th century.
And it’s only a matter of time before the state or federal government toughens stormwater collection systems for towns Iola’s size, Brigham said.
The monthly fee would generate about $91,000 annually, not nearly enough to pay for large-scale improvements all at once, Brigham acknowledged. But it would give the city opportunity to build up a reserve.
Up to now, any maintenance of the stormwater system came from Iola’s general fund.
Mayor Bill Maness and Commissioner Bill Shirley voted to install the surcharge. Commissioner Craig Abbott was opposed.
THE COMMISSION was less enthusiastic about increasing Iola’s water rates.
Last changed in 2005, the revenue for the water fund has gradually decreased over the past few years because Iolans, by and large, are using less water, Brigham said.
“And our water fund is not keeping up with the cost,” she said. “We can’t continue to operate as is.”
Lower water usage is not unique to Iola, Brigham said. Other communities across the country are experiencing less water revenue as citizens cut back on usage.
Brigham proposed a 10-percent rate hike for water users, which would cost a small household about $2.18, a typical family about $4.56 and a large industry about $632 a month.
Abbott suggested the city look at any possible options to streamline costs.
“I don’t know that we’re doing everything we can to keep our costs down,” Abbott said. “I will not support a water rate hike.”
Maness, meanwhile, suggested the city look at cuts in other areas — perhaps a one-half percent cut in all other department budgets — to subsidize the water fund.
Shirley asked Brigham to provide the Commission a detailed spread sheet to illustrate how the lower water usage has hit the water fund reserves.
COMMISSIONERS also decided against raising admission rates to the city’s swimming pool, which will reopen for the summer on Memorial Day weekend.
Recreation Director Luke Bycroft said that the Recreation Advisory Committee endorsed a $1 increase to $2 for children between 6 and 17 years and $3 for adults. The rates were $1 and $2, respectively, in 2009. Swimmers 5 and under and senior citizens would be admitted free of charge.
The Advisory Committee noted that the city took in about $55,000 less in revenue in 2009 than what it paid in operations, Bycroft said.
That’s nothing new. Iola traditionally loses money each year the pool is open.
“I hate to go against the Advisory Committee, but I think we should leave the rates where they are,” Shirley said.
Maness agreed.
“I look at the pool, not as a way to make a profit, but as a community service,” Maness said. “I’d hate to see it get to the point that we make it more difficult for anybody to use our pool.”
The city may be able to recoup some of their losses through concession sales, Bycroft said. Those sales were contracted out last year. The city will handle the sales starting this summer, which could bring in as much as $10,000.
The city will charge $30 for a booklet of 25 tickets, commissioners said, up from $25 last year.
The pool was rebuilt and reopened in 2009 after being closed for nearly two years because of the June 2007 flood.
