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By Heather Strasburg
SMITHFIELD -- Grumbles multiplied as the City Council vented concern over growing sewage prices. Smithfield pays Logan City for sewage service. The annual audit, which was approved by the City Council on Wednesday, shows that those rates have doubled since April. Smithfield had been paying $17,000 to $18,000 a month; it is now paying $34,000 to $35,000 a month for sewage services. "They say we're flushing our toilets more than we are," Mayor Ray Winn said. City Recorder O. Dean Clegg also wondered why the rates rose so drastically in such a short amount of time. "Their meters say one thing," Clegg said. "My mind says another." City Manager James P. Gass said Logan City is trying to help find out what the problem is, maybe by putting in a second meter to track sewage use. It's obviously a bigger concern to Smithfield than to Logan, Gass said. Council members agreed that they want to view all the information before they raise sewage rates for Smithfield residents. In other business the council held a public hearing in regard to the rezoning of a property at 329 N. 100 West owned by Terry and Shane Johnson. The Johnsons want to build a duplex next to an existing duplex, which they also own. Some residents in the area object to that idea. The Johnsons were not at the hearing. Barbara Jensen, a neighbor, said the yard of the existing duplex is full of weeds and that the tenants were allowed to keep goats. Jensen said that another duplex would take away from the "nice, quiet law-abiding neighborhood." Cathy Petersen, also a neighbor, said that the neighborhood is already "tight quarters anyway" and another duplex would bring more traffic that could be a road hazard. "I don't think it's in the best interest of Smithfield," Councilwoman Kris Monson said, "to jam as many people as we can into one area." Councilwoman Jannice Mikkelsen agreed. "If he's [Johnson] not taking care of what's there," Mikkelsen said, "it wouldn't be in our best interest to add to the problem." The council decided to wait to take action until Oct. 8. In other business the council members approved a new police officer. Curtis Wood, who has been in the Smithfield police officer reserve program for almost a year, will take that position.
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