By HOI ABC

NORMAL – Water rates will rise in Normal and town government has a budget for the new fiscal year, but votes on both measures were by the narrowest of margins following a heated clash between a town council member and the city manager.

The council voted 4-3 to raise water rates by 2%, boosting monthly costs by 90 cents or $10.80 for the year for the average household, according to a staff report.

The rate increase will generate an estimated $186,500 for the water fund.

Council member Scott Preston – who’s a Republican candidate for State Representative in the new 91 District – voted no. Council members Stan Nord and Kathleen Lorenz were also opposed to raising the rate.

The confrontation between Nord and City Manager Pam Reece came after Nord said the town “robbed” from the water fund to pay for a new snow plow. Nord wanted assurances that increased revenue would be used only for water projects.

Reece responded to that.

“Perhaps moving forward, you can stop accusing staff of stealing, and being unethical, and inappropriate. That would be appreciated on this particular issue,” said Reece.

Lorenz failed to convince a majority to reduce the rate increase to 1% for the first six months. She said residents need relief from historic economic headwinds like inflation being at a 40-year high.

“Where’s the relief for the households, and that wasn’t in our budget and we needed to have that conversation,” said Lorenz.

Lorenz, Nord, and Preston also voted against the town’s $157.5 million budget that spends about $45 million more than last year.

Council member Karyn Smith, who voted with the majority, noted about two-thirds of the new spending comes from one-time American Rescue Plan funding, plus state and federal grants to help pay for the new underpass at Uptown Station.

As for the water rate increase, Smith said passing the 2% hike now will reduce the need for larger rate increases in the years to come.