By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – Some Bloomington aldermen want city staffers to recommend more aggressive rate hikes to speed up the pace of repairs for the city’s deteriorating sewer and storm water system.
At a work session Monday night, staffers presented aldermen with a plan to raise $136 million over 20 years, but some aldermen believe the city doesn’t have that much time to fix sewers before a major breakdown happens.
PODCAST: Listen to Scott Laughlin’s interview with City Manager David Hales on WJBC.
Council members Joni Painter, Kimberly Bray, and Amelia Buragas seem ready to accept the idea of larger rate increases to get the work done quicker and without adding debt.
Buragas favors a proactive stance rather than a reactive approach.
“The longer we phase this in, the longer we are reactive instead of proactive, and we know that will cost us more money,” said Buragas.
“In the long run, we will get less for our money,” Buragas also said.
But Alderman David Sage said he would consider borrowing money if it meant smaller monthly rate increases, and Councilman Scott Black worried of the impact sharply higher rates would have on residents of historic West Bloomington.
“It’s very tough for me to swallow this one,” said Black.
“People are going to feel this one, at least in historic Bloomington,” Black added.
City staffers’ currently recommend 11.6 percent annual sewer rate increases over five years, to be followed by annual three percent annual increases. Stormwater fees would rise 8.2 percent in each of the next five years.
The average residential bill for sewers would jump to $16.45 a month by fiscal year 2023, from $9.50 this fiscal year, based on staffers’ current recommendation.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
