WEST SILOAM SPRINGS, Okla. -- The board of trustees and municipal authority approved a water and sewer rate increase during Monday's town meeting.
Trustees voted unanimously to approve Ordinance 22-02-01 regarding the rates with Trustee Marty Thompson absent and without a Ward Four Trustee. The new rates are scheduled to take effect around April, according to Director of Public Works Gary Fain.
Present water and sewer rates are at a minimum of $21.53 per 1,000 gallons for residents within the town limits, according to a copy of the current water and sewer rates. The next 9,000 gallons cost an extra $4.09 and the cost for water over 10,001 gallons is $5.03, the rates state.
Commercial water rates have a minimum cost of $35.88. Extra gallons range from $5.13 for the next 9,000 gallons to $7.86 for extra gallons over 960,001, the rates state.
Residents who live outside the town limits have a minimum water charge of $32.30 with the next 9,000 gallons have an extra cost of $5.11 and anything over the 10,001 gallons would cost an extra $6.29, the rates state.
Commercial water rates for businesses outside of town have a minimum cost of $53.82 for the first 1,000 gallons. Extra gallons range from $6.41 for an extra 1,000 gallons to $9.82 for over 960,001 gallons, the rates state.
Sewer rates for residents carry a minimum of $14.00 for the first 1,000 gallons. Extra costs for sewer rates range from $4.09 for an extra 2,000 gallons to $7.49 for anything over 9,001 gallons.
Commercial sewer rates for businesses have a minimum fee of $16.00 and extra gallons range from $3.99 for an extra 1,000 gallons to $7.86 for gallons that are over 11,001, the rates state.
Under the new rates, residential water rates would be raised to a minimum of $35 for water and a flat rate of $30 for sewer, according to a copy of the new rates. Extra gallons for water and sewer will now be combined into one rate.
The rate for extra gallons would range from $5.15 for an extra 1,000 gallons to $46.35 for an extra 9,000 gallons, the new rates state.
Commercial water rates will be a minimum of $45.21 and a flat rate of $40 for sewer rates, the new rates state. Extra gallons range from $6.46 for an extra 1,000 gallons to $64.60 for the next 10,000 gallons, the new rates state.
New water rates for residents living outside of the town limits will have a minimum charge of $45 and a flat sewer rate of $35, the new rates state. Extra gallons for water and sewer would range from $6.44 for the next 1,000 gallons to $57.96 for the next 9,000 gallons, the new rates state.
An extra $7.93 per 1,000 gallons if a resident goes over 10,000 gallons, the new rates state.
Commercial water rates for businesses outside of the town limits would be a minimum of $65 and a flat rate of $55, the new rates state. Extra rates range from $67.87 for the next 1,000 gallons to $82.03 for the next 9,000 gallons, the new rates state.
An extra $12.37 per 1,000 gallons will be added if a business goes over 10,000 gallons, the new rates state.
Mayor/Municipal Authority Chair Rhonda Wise said water rates have not been raises in several years. Fain said he contacted area towns to check on their water and sewer rates and found that West Siloam Springs were lower.
Trustee Sam Byers said with the town purchasing water from the South Delaware County Regional Water Authority instead of Siloam Springs, the town would have to adjust water rates to accommodate for it.
Byers also said the town would still rely on Siloam Springs to provide sewer. Fain said rates would probably need to be raised the following year also. Fain said it would be better to have small annual increases rather than one large increase.
Vice Mayor/Municipal Authority Vice Chair Linda Dixon said rates should be raised five percent each year to get caught back up.
The board of trustees and municipal authority also reviewed and voted on the following items:
• Approving the meeting minutes for the board of trustees and municipal authority meetings on Jan. 17.
• Hearing reports from town officials: Police Chief Larry Barnett, Code Enforcement Waylon Chandler reporting on annexations; Wise and Fain.
• Approving purchase orders for January 2022: General PO #s 34899-34947 in the amount of $195,527; EMS PO #137 for $21,444; Park PO #14 in the amount of $30; Tribal PO #s 4-5 for $725.
• Tabling a discussion on the qualifications of Town Clerk/Treasurer Laura Poteet to determine compensation for performance of extra duties as permitted by 11 O.S. § 10-117(5).
• Tabling a discussion and possible action on Ordinance 22-02-02 regarding compensation to Poteet for the performance of duties unrelated to official statutory duties as permitted by 11 O.S. § 10-117(5).
• Approving the setting of a public hearing for the annexation of 20660 E. 578 Rd, Colcord, Okla for 6 p.m. March 21.
• Approving the setting of a public hearing for the annexation of 58539 County Rd 727, Watts, Okla for 6 p.m. March 21.
• Approving the setting of a public hearing for the annexation of 20194 E. 578 Rd, Colcord, Okla for 6 p.m. March 21.
• Approving a business license for Battle Branch Cattle Company Mercantile.
• Approving a close-out public hearing for a community development block grant (CDBG) Contract Number 17531 CDBG 19 for West Siloam Springs' sanitary sewer extension project.
• Approving close-out resolution TN-2022-02-02 regarding the signing of the close-out documents related to the block grant.
• Approving the following actions related to the block grant: CDBG engineer's certification of completion; Section 3 summary report part II; final wage compliance form; Form 9.1 close-out beneficiary form; close-out checklist; final administrative payment approval for Grand Gateway Economic Development Association; any close-out documents required for CDBG #17531 CDBG 19 Sanitary Sewer Extension Project.
• Approving the surplus of a 2019 Chevy Tahoe to be auctioned on govdeals.com.
• Approving Resolution TN-2022-02-03 to give officers a $1.50 per hour raise starting the next pay period establishing the starting pay for reserve officers at $15.00 per hour and $16.50 per hour for certified officers.
• Appointing Andrew Conklin as the Ward Four Trustee. Conklin will be sworn in at the next town meeting.
• Approving municipal authority purchase orders for January 2022: Water PO #s 12308-12348 for a total of $108,296; Street PO # 730 for a total of $75; Meter PO #s 1649-1653 for a total of $5,033.
• Accepting Colleen McGuire's resignation Jan. 21.
• Approving the termination of Raymond Anderson on Jan. 21 with just cause.
• Approving an investigation into vandalism that occurred on town/municipal authority property that occurred between Jan. 21 to Jan. 23.