Council adjusting sewer, water rules

The Cathlamet town council on Monday gave initial approval to amendments to the town Public Utilities Ordinance which would raise monthly sewer rates and lower connection fees.

Ordinances generally require three readings; the Monday vote was the first; second and third-and-final readings may come at the council's May meeting.

In other business at Monday's council meeting, the council approved contracts for repaving 3rd Street and for an architect to develop plans for remodeling Town Hall.

A major impact of the changes to the utilities ordinance, which governs the town's water and sewer programs, is to raise monthly sewer fees and direct a portion of fees into a cumulative reserve for sewer system improvements.

Inside the town's corporate limits rates will increase in $5 increments from $45 per month to $55 for June-December, 2012, and again every six months to $80 per month for the June, 2014 billing period.

Outside the town, rates will increase from the current $58 per month to $68 in June to $93 in June, 2014.

Officials recognize that some customers may have a hard time paying bills, and Wehrfritz said Clerk-Treasurer Tina Schubert had recommended offering patrons the chance to pay an extra $5 per month that would be used to help cover bills.

The new provisions would require the clerk-treasurer to deposit a portion of the fees into a cumulative reserve. The portions would range from $35 per month through 2012 and increase to $60 per month in June, 2014.

The new provisions would also lower the sewer line connection fee to $100 for all new connections not in the Boege Road service area. Fees are cuurently $3,000 in the town corporate limits and $5,000 outside the town limits.

Town officials hope the lower connection fees will encourage people to connect to the sewer system.

The town has started an $8.5 million project to construct a new wastewater treatment plant, and officials would like to increase the customer base in order to keep customers' fees as low as possible.

Consulting Engineer Ken Alexander of Gray and Osborne, Inc., reported that Halme Excavating, Inc., of Battle Ground, had submitted the lowest bid for the 3rd Street improvements. Halme bid $39,940 for the project; the next lowest bidder was Cat Works LLC, also of Battle Ground, at $401,470. The engineers had estimated the project at $469,682.

Alexander said the firm recommended approval of Halme's bid, and the council voted to accept it.

Alexander said a preconstruction meeting with the contractor would be scheduled soon, and construction could start as early as mid-May.

The council also approved contracts with the Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce,$1,500 for support of three community events, and Chesshir Architecture, PC, $20,000 for design, drafting, and construction administration of the remodel project of town hall.

Wehrfritz also recommended contracting with Skamokawa attorney Heidi Heywood for services as town attorney.