The Marion Board of Selectmen on May 16 approved the water and sewer rate increases recommended by Finance Director Judy Mooney and the Water/Sewer Rate Study Committee.
“This is probably one of the things I don’t like to come to,” said Mooney, fixing to present the data gathered over the last few months.
Mooney gave some brief history of the water and sewer rates for perspective, starting with 2007 when Marion had its first significant water and sewer combined rate increase of 70% across the board, she said. At that time, the base rate was established and then the three tiers for consumption.
Mooney said the Town, at that time, did not anticipate any further rate increases for at least five years as reserves were established and built up over time to keep rates low.
In 2015, billing went from semi-annually to quarterly, and it was not until 2016 that the town faced its next increase with 2.5% on the water rate base charge and a 10% sewer rate increase on all tiers.
“We couldn’t avoid it,” said Mooney. “It was the only way we could spread it out … in 2016.”
Last year, water rates increased 2.5%, but the three tiers stayed the same. Sewer rates went up 2.5% on the base rate, with a 0% increase on tier 1, 10% on tier 2, and 15% on tier 3.
Mooney stressed that data is collected by looking at “actuals” as opposed to estimates, but she emphasized, “Water and sewer is not like your tax rate. It’s very easy to give an estimate on what the estimated tax rate will be because it’s very fixed. It’s based on our property value.” Factors with water, Mooney said, include dry seasons when users conserve more. “So it’s not that easy to just come up with, hey! This is what the increase is going to be. We try our best to come up with what we consider the average house based on usage.”
For 2018, there will be modest rate increases on water – 1% on the base rate, with a .5% increase on tier 1, a 1% increase on tier 2, and 1.5% increase on tier 3.
“This is based on what we’ve had for historical data,” said Mooney. “That’s the good news on water,” she added.
Breaking it down, Mooney said the average tier 1 (one-person) home will see an annual water increase of $2.20, a tier 2 (2.5 people) home will see a $4.76 increase, and a tier 3 (five-plus household) will increase, on average, $16.60 annually.
For sewer, there will be a 2.5% base rate increase.
“We’re trying to keep that base charge as low as possible,” said Mooney.
Tier 1 sewer users will see a 3% increase ($15.60) annually, tier 2 will see 4% ($32.44), and tier 3 will see 5% ($96.96).
“We tried to level it off, but last year we didn’t hit the first tier at all and we just couldn’t eliminate that again this year,” said Mooney.
Also during the meeting, the selectmen sat through a presentation from members of T.U.R.F. regarding the proposed overhaul of the athletic fields at Old Rochester Regional.
With an over $7 million price tag, offset by revenue, the three towns’ contributions would be $1.67 million per town. Revenue potential stands at $206,000 annually and $3.9 million over 15 years.
Gonsalves expressed a concern over geese droppings on the synthetic fields, but he said he is “totally in favor of it.”
Hills suggested the group contact the Marion Capital Improvement Committee about the project. “We need to get this into the [Capital Improvement] plan,” said Hills.
Dickerson’s main concern was maintenance of the fields.
“With all due respect to the high school,” said Dickerson, “they’re not known for maintaining things. I’d hate to go forward with this if there isn’t a maintenance plan.” Dickerson said a commitment from the school to maintain the fields would be critical.
More information is available at www.ORRturf.com.
In other matters, the Marion Historical Commission had expressed a concern that the Civil War Monument located at the Marion Music Hall is about to topple over.
Dawson said he reached out to Facilities Director Shawn Cormier who said the statue had been knocked down in the 1970s during an act of vandalism and since then the statue has been slightly bent. Dawson said the monument itself is completely intact and level, although the illusion is that it could topple over.
“It’s a pretty sound structure and it’s going nowhere,” said Dawson.
The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen is scheduled for June 6 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.
Marion Board of Selectmen
By Jean Perry