The minimum monthly sewer bill for South Charleston residents will nearly triple under rate hikes approved by City Council Thursday evening.
City officials said the increases are necessary to meet a federal mandate.
Sanitary Board Director Steve DeBarr said prior to the council meeting that the minimum monthly bill, for 2,000 gallons of sewage, will rise from $7.32 to $20.74. But he noted that the typical monthly residential bill, which averages 4,000 gallons, will double - from $21.67 to $43.34 per month.
The higher rates are expected to take effect in late March or early April. City attorney Michael Moore said the increases do not require state Public Service Commission approval.
Council approved the rate hikes on a 7-2 roll-call vote.
Voting for the increases were Ward 7 Councilman Jamie Sibold, Ward 2 Councilman Mark Wolford, Ward 8 Councilman Don Ryan, Ward 6 Councilman Bob Lilly, Ward 1 Councilman Kent Rymer, Ward 3 Councilwoman Kathleen Walker and Mayor Frank Mullens.
Voting no were Ward 5 Councilman Edd Brooks and Ward 4 Councilman Jeffrey Williamson.
According to a letter DeBarr wrote to Mullens and council members, "20 percent of the increase is necessary to offset declining water usage and sewer revenue" and 80 percent is necessary to fund major capital improvement projects required by the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Protection.
The city treats sewage at its plant on MacCorkle Avenue adjacent to The Dow Chemical Co.'s factory. The system needs major upgrades because it is overwhelmed when there's a heavy rain and releases untreated rainwater and sewage into the Kanawha River.
DeBarr said South Charleston is one of more than 700 municipalities in the eastern United States that have the problem "and everybody is under the same order to fix it."
"The city has been under a variety of consent orders since 1994," DeBarr said.
"My estimate is $80 million of improvements will be required, long-term, to reduce the inflow into the system and therefore reduce the volume of untreated overflows into the Kanawha River," DeBarr said prior to the meeting. System alterations "most likely will include some underground storage," with one storage unit likely at the treatment plant and possibly two or three storage units elsewhere in the system, he said.
Other cities, including Washington, Detroit and Boston have built underground storage systems to take care of their overflows, DeBarr told the Gazette-Mail.
Although the improvements and modifications will be expensive, the project will benefit the environment, he said.
The last sewer rate increase was in 2006.
Approval of the new rates followed a public hearing that drew one speaker: Former Mayor Richie Robb, who strenuously objected to the increases.
Robb said the public notice said documents explaining the justification for the hikes were available at the Sanitary Board office or the clerk's office. But the documents did not include any justification, he said.
In addition, Robb complained that the documents did not include any reports from the federal or state agencies explaining the requirements; the documents made it seem like everything had to be done at once.
"I don't see firm figures for what the revenue is going to be used for," Robb said.
Following the public hearing, DeBarr asked Richard Lewis, the city's environmental attorney, and Dan Ferrell of Thrasher Engineering Inc. to speak. Both men talked about the city's need to come into compliance with the federal and state regulations.
After each spoke, Robb tried to ask questions, but Mullens denied him.
"The public hearing is over. You had your opportunity," Mullens told him.
When Robb persisted, Mullens asked police Chief Brad Rinehart to intervene. Rinehart moved toward Robb, who moved away from the microphone.
"This is a joke," Robb said, as he left the meeting.
In other action, council agreed to purchase a Ford Explorer for $28,671 and a Ford Taurus for $28,251 for the police department under a state contract from Stephens Auto Center of Danville. One of the new vehicles will replace a cruiser that was in an accident. The city has received $20,500 from its insurance company so the replacement will only cost the city about $8,000.
Rinehart said the city has money available from a seizure account to pay for both vehicles.
Council also approved two budget revisions. One reflects activity in the city's coal severance tax account. Prior to the meeting Finance Director Hannah Pettitt explained that the city began the last fiscal year with $9,617 in the account. The city expected to receive about $60,000 last year but received $48,979. The city spent $35,576 and ended the year with a balance of about $23,000.
The other budget revision involved several accounts in the general revenue fund. Pettitt said the largest change was made to reflect the receipt of a $253,905 federal grant for Fire Department air packs.
Another revision involved funding for construction of the fire station being built across from the library. The city paid $90,000 up front to get the work started and was reimbursed from bond proceeds after the bond was issued.
Yet another revision involved $50,000 in reimbursements the city received from private companies. The city gets reimbursed its costs when its police officers provide requested services to private businesses.
Other changes were for attorney fees, the city clerk's office, and the community center, Pettitt told the Finance Committee prior to the council meeting.
Also Thursday evening, council recognized representatives of the American Legion, who praised Public Works Department employees. Council also recognized Bud Anderson, who passed out trinkets from his driving school, displayed T-shirts being sold to raise funds for the South Charleston High School wrestling team, and discussed a traffic issue.
Council's next meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18 on the second floor of City Hall on D Street.