Lower
utility bills? Nibley considers decreasing sewer charges
By Kevin Nielsen
January 24, 2005 | NIBLEY- The highest
sewer fees in the valley might be coming down soon.
The Nibley City Council, at their
meeting Thursday Jan. 20, discussed lowering the sewer
fees to between $29 and $33 monthly. The drop would
be a savings of between $6 and $10 a month for homeowners.
There will be a public hearing to
discuss the fee drop on Feb. 3 during the city council
meeting.
"We could come out with a very
positive story," Councilman James Waite said. "But we're
not trying to sneak anything past anyone."
What the council would be sneaking
past is the proposed $4 per month jump in storm water
fees to cover the new regulations put into effect by
the state of Utah and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The council in emphasizing the storm water fee made
light of the predicament that Logan City is having getting
their storm water fee passed.
The council agreed the sewer fee
drop was an important part of Nibley's future planning
considering the storm water hike and the need for a
water rate hike in the somewhat near future. The timing
of the fee hikes and drops was an issue for some council
members.
"I want the city to get credit
for dropping the sewer fee," Councilman Scott Wells
said.
Wells said the council should raise
the fees first so the citizens will remember the sewer
fee drop. The council was split as to how the changing
fees should be handled time-wise.
In other action the council:
--Approved the revised budget for
2004-2005, which put more money into parks and capital
improvements and better specified the use of theretofore
deemed miscellaneous funds.
--Was introduced to the new Cache
County Deputy Sheriff over the Patrol Division, Chad
Jensen. Council members commented on the increased citations
that were given in the Nibley city limits and the effect
they have had on the citizens.
--Praised the snow removal crew for
the great job they did handling the snow storm of Jan.
9 - 11.
--Recommended repealing the Public
Utility District (PUD) ordinance in order to fix the
provisions that are not satisfactory to the council
members, effectively halting new PUD proposals going
through the system. The proposal will be presented to
the planning and zoning commission on Jan. 26 and will
be voted on by the council Feb. 3.
--Discussed names of potential candidates
to fill the vacancies of Paul Bernston and Jill Galloway
on the planning and zoning commission. Whoever the mayor
appoints should be approved before the next planning
and zoning meeting next week.
--Discussed endorsing an agricultural
protection bill that was presented at a meeting of mayors
and city councilors for the state of Utah.
--Scheduled public hearings for Feb.
3, in addition to the hearing for the sewer fee, for
the two PUD developments of retirement housing subdivisions.
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