KINGWOOD — Kingwood Council approved first reading of about 10.5% water rate increase Tuesday.
If approved on final reading, the increase will add about $2.16 to minimum monthly bills, more to customers who use more than the minimum allowance.
Recorder Bill Robertson, who serves on the water board, and Kingwood Water Works Manager Amy DeBerry told council the rate increase is necessary.
It’s the first in about seven years for Kingwood customers, but users on the former Public Service District 2 system, now managed by Kingwood, had a rate increase last year so it collected enough to cover the PSD’s bond payments.
The PSD 2 rate increase was required as part of its acquisition by Kingwood, DeBerry said.
Councilman Dick Shaffer asked why the rate is necessary.
“With the stuff that’s going on with the people now, they’re having such a struggle to survive,” Shaffer said.
The cost of supplies has increased, DeBerry said. “And we need to catch our rates up to conform to that.”
“We also have multiple projects that we need to complete and have been dragging behind because of the acquisition of PSD 2,” Robertson said.
“Now that that’s behind us, we’ve had a full year with those books of a combination of the two units, it’s just obvious that we have to have this increase so we can do some of the capital work that we need to proceed with.”
Current minimum water rates per month in the city are:
- 5/8-inch meter or less, $21.66;
- 3/4-inch meter, $32.49;
- 1-inch meter, $54.15;
- 1 1/2-inch meter, $108.30;
- 2-inch meter, $173.28;
- 3-inch meter, $346.56;
- 4-inch meter, $541.50;
- 6-inch meter, $1,083;
- 8-inch meter, $1,732.80.
PSD 2 customer current minimum monthly rates are 5/8-inch meter or less, $24 per month; 3/4 inch-meter, $36; one-inch meter, $60; 1 1/2 inch meter, $120; and 2-inch meter, $192.
Employee time off
Also Tuesday, council discussed a proposal by Councilwoman Karen Kurilko to allow employees to convert three of their five annual sick days to personal leave days.
City employees lose sick days if they are not used in the calendar year in which they are given. Allowing them to convert the days, “will just give the employees a little bit more flexibility,” Kurilko said.
Council members asked if the days had to be used as a full day or if hours could be split up and if a supervisor’s approval would be required.
Kurilko suggested requiring a supervisor’s approval one day in advance. She assumed the days could be broken up.
“Are there normally a lot of sick days left on the table at the end of the year?” Councilwoman Tina Turner asked.
City Clerk Michelle Whetsell said it varies among employees.
It would allow for more planning, Turner said, but she didn’t have a strong opinion for or against. Shaffer noted sick days cannot be denied workers, while these could be, “so he’s going to take a sick day so he can get off.”
Ultimately council asked that all city departments be asked their opinions before action is taken.
TWEET@DominionPostWV
