Mendon continues water rate discussion, hikes garbage fees

By Kimberly Ralphs

March 12, 2004 | MENDON -- The City Council increased garbage collection fees and discussed raising water rates Thursday. It also heard a report on the progress of the restoration of the old Mendon Depot.

The council passed a resolution, effective March 1, increasing garbage collection fees to $12.25 per month for a 90-gallon container and $8.40 per month for a 60-gallon container. Mayor Sydney Larsen said the resolution is the result of Cache County raising their collection fees.

The council also discussed culinary water rate changes that will cause the average water user's bill to increase by about $7 per month. The council came up with a tentative rate structure after holding a workshop last week to discuss water issues. The proposed structure would leave the base rate at $22 but decrease the amount of water that covers from 18,000 gallons to 12,000 gallons. Overages would increase from the current 35 cents per 1,000 gallons to a tiered structure where residents pay more per 1,000 gallons as they use more water.

"It will help people be more conservation-minded," Councilwoman Leslie Larson said.

Councilman John Hardman said that it was necessary to decrease the amount of water covered by the base rate in order get a loan or grant to fund a new well and make other improvements in the water system in the upcoming years.

Mayor Larsen said setting new rates is "an interim step until we get to the loan" and the city may have to raise rates again. He said he would rather have to raise the rates again later than raise them too high now. He said the rate structure is "the best we could do at our workshop, but it is not set in granite."

The city will hold public hearings in April and May before the new rates go into effect.

The council also received a report on the progress of the restoration of the Mendon Depot and agreed that the interior should be opened up to best serve a variety of purposes.

"This (leaving it open) gives you the most options for various events," Hardman said.

Paul Willie is spearheading the effort to restore the old train station and presented several tentative floor plans. He asked the council to decide what they wanted done with the building so he can start drawing up plans.

"I need a little bit of direction from you," Willie said.

The building is currently used for various events and the restoration would make it safer and better suited to hold gatherings. "The building gets used extensively from Halloween through January," said Daphne Carlson, who is responsible for renting out the building.

The depot was one of the stops on the Utah-Idaho Central Railroad in the early 20th Century. It is one of few still in existence and in better condition than most of the others, said Willie.

"You really do have a gem here," Willie said.

The council also supported the idea of building an annex behind the building to house restrooms and a kitchen. Willie said the outside of the building will be historically restored, but the inside will have to be altered to be structurally sound and to accommodate large groups. He said construction on the building won't start until May.

In other business, the council:

-- discussed the animal vaccination clinic being held March 20 at the fire station;

-- discussed the need to establish a fee schedule for renting city parks and equipment;

-- discussed checking residents' water connections to prevent canal water from entering the culinary water system;

-- appointed Peter Watkins to fill a vacancy on the Planning and Zoning Board.

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