City poised to consider rate increases
Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
The Newcastle City Council voted on Aug. 2 to consider utility rate increases for city services, although City Clerk-Treasurer Greg James said he is unsure of when the ordinance will be drafted and considered.
“The council action was to approve moving forward to draft ordinances for these, but since we don’t have an attorney, I am not sure when the three readings of the ordinances will start,” James said in an email.
According to the proposal for increasing the water, sewer and garbage fees, James is recommending a 3% hike in the rates for each enterprise fund.
“I am suggesting this to try to keep up with operating costs in these funds,” the proposal says. “It is better to have small increases rather than a huge adjustment. These funds should operate in the black, and a question now frequently asked when the city applies for grants or loans is: Are we raising rates in any attempt to maintain operating expenses?”
The increased cost for a household that uses the minimum amount of water would be $1.36 per month for water, sewer and garbage services, the proposal says. The total bill amount would increase from $53.38 a month to $54.74, or about 3%.
Outside rates and charges would go up by the same percentage.
Currently, the first 2,000 gallons of water cost the user $13.30; a 3% increase would add 40 cents to the bill, making the total $13.70. The next 3,000 gallons would increase by 13 cents to $4.34 per thousand gallons, and over 5,000 gallons would increase by 10 cents to $3.59 per thousand gallons.
As for sewer rates, currently the first 2,000 gallons cost $21. A 3% increase would make the new charge $21.63 for a minimum user. The next 3,000 gallons would cost an additional 22 cents, or $7.54 per 1,000 gallons; and for 5,000 gallons or over, the fees would increase by 16 cents, or $5.62 per 1,000 gallons.
Currently, for one 95-gallon garbage container, residents pay $16.75 a month. A rate increase of 3% would add 50 cents to the fee, bringing the new rate to $17.25.
The infrastructure fee collected under the garbage category would remain unchanged at $8 per customer.
The last fee increases occurred in September 2019, James said.
In order to update the fee schedule, the council must pass an ordinance. Per Wyoming statute, each ordinance must be heard on three separate readings before officially being adopted.