Wednesday, February 19, 2025
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Monterey Approves Water And Sewer Change

Monterey Aldermen making a change to the town’s water and sewer rates in an effort to stabilize revenue.

Mayor Alex Garcia said decision comes from a Jackson Thornton study that was supposed to be implemented two years ago. Garcia said the amended ordinance would drop the minimum 2,000-gallon usage allowance to 1,000 gallons. Garcia said most customers will not notice the change.

“It all depends on how much water you use,” Garcia said. “Some citizens won’t see a change because they don’t use 1,000 gallons. Someone like me I probably use 2,800 gallons so I’m gonna see a higher bill.”

Garcia said this change is the first step of a three-year plan to try and make up the revenue loss that will take place with the Perdue plant closing. Garcia said unfortunately the plan will only make up a portion of the revenue lost.

“Step two is reducing from 1,000 gallons to zero,” Garcia said. “And the third year was a rate increase and that was supposed to increase by  $185,000  a year. So this won’t even bring us out of debt.”

Consulting Engineer Nathaniel Green suggested to the board to reach back out to Jackson Thornton to do another rate study. Green said the town can only operate in the negative for two years before the comptroller’s office would send a letter for deficiencies.

“You can’t use any of your funds that you have in the bank to offset that,” Green said. “That’s not something that you can do so you have to operate in the black. When you operate in the red more than two years in a row that’s when you have the issue.”

Green said a new rate study could cost the town anywhere from $20,000-$30,000. After extensive conversations, the board ultimately decided to table the decision on a second-rate study.

In other business, Aldermen tabled a decision to purchase evergreen trees for the city garage. The aldermen did not have much discussion but Alderman Jamie Phillips said he believed the decision needed to be tabled. The board also approved an estimated $6,450 quote for striping of the black bottom parking lot, Woodcliff Road, and the Community Gardens back parking lot.

The board approved an inspection to do on the town’s three water sewage tanks. The cost of the inspection will be around $3,360. Consulting Engineer Nathaniel Green said he recommended the low bid from Southeastern Tank as they could do the job as soon as next week and was a significantly lower bid compared to the other bids. Green said the town is required to have the tanks inspected every five years.

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