By Michael Howell
The Hamilton City Council approved a 1.6% hike in water and sewer rates last week. The raise was based on the current Consumer Price Index (CPI) and is meant to help keep up with the cost of inflation in operating the sewer and water systems. The 1.6% increase will apply to the monthly base rates for both sewer and water as well as the associated user charges.
Over the last three years the city’s residents have seen substantial hikes in the water and sewer rates. The sewer rates were increased 8% annually while the water rates went up 5% for two years in a row and 13% on the third year.
While the 1.6% proposed increase seems to be a small amount compared to the increases in the recent past, it did not sit well with a few citizens.
“You are killing us 1.6% at a time,” said Karen Segal. “I used to be afraid of going to my mail box for bills,” she said. “Now I’m afraid to go for increased costs in services.” She complained that there was no discount for senior citizens.
Another citizen also complained about the effect of constant increases on people living on fixed incomes.
“They don’t get to raise their income by 1.6%,” he said.
Councilor Ken Bell said the city was lucky that the raise was only 1.6%. “Compared to rate raises over the last few years,” he said, “it’s a drop in the bucket.” He said if the increases were really based on the consumer price index then they were really needed. He said it was needed to meet the cost of operations of the water and sewer systems.
Councilor Joe Petrusaitis said that the raises should not be automatic but should be reviewed annually. He said residents were lucky that the businesses are supporting the system. He said the tax on commercial properties in Hamilton was one of the highest in the state.
Councilor Al Mitchell agreed that businesses do pay higher rates but he said the CPI was a good index to use to cover cost increases in operations. However, he did agree that it should probably be reviewed annually and not just automatically renewed.
Council President Jenny West said, “It’s a tough one. We saw a big increase in property taxes last year. It’s hard to raise them again, but things are getting done.”
The 1.6% rate hikes were approved on a 4 to 1 vote with Petrusaitis dissenting.
The Council unanimously approved the Urban Forestry Strategic Management Plan developed with the help of ISA-certified Master Arborist Sylvia McNeill. Hamilton has somewhere around 1,600 trees with Norway Maples constituting the most numerous species. But the city does harbor a great variety of trees. The plan calls for maintaining a good diversity in the population as some tree species can be completely wiped out by invading pests or disease.
The Council also unanimously approved on second reading an ordinance establishing zoning for property located at 232 Marcus Street.
The Council adopted a Preliminary Plan for the Fitness Trail at Hieronymus Park on a vote of 3 to 2. The $4,000 concept design for the trail was developed with an Active Communities grant from the state and is designed to include various fitness stations that would include some type of exercise installation. Up to $56,000 in equipment options are proposed that could be installed separately and incrementally over the years. The plan calls for community funding of the improvements.
Councilor Ken Bell questioned the need for the exercise stations and asked, “Why fill up the last empty space in Hieronymus Park?”
Council President Jenny West emphasized that the plan was paid for by a full grant from the state. “We are not going into the city coffers to build it,” she said.
The plan was adopted on a 3 to 2 vote with Councilors Petrusaitis and Bell dissenting.