By Emily Gallagher
Times West Virginian
MONONGAH —
Water rates are about to go up in Monongah.
During Monday’s council meeting, town officials took the final step to increase water rates for residents by approving the final reading for the proposed water rate increase. There was also a public hearing for the proposal, but no residents had questions for council members.
Mayor Don Harris said the increase will go into effect in 45 days.
He said the increase was necessary for the town to pay its bills and to keep the state from writing town officials up.
“They did an analysis on us and at the rate we’re going we’d be losing almost $2,000 a year,” Harris said. “Plus, we have to charge so much or the state will write us up for being under budget.”
Harris said the 40 percent rate increase will happen in three phases over three years. The first year will be a 25 percent increase, 10 percent the next year and 5 percent the year after that.
“The next year, if we see the need for the increase, then we’ll put 10 percent on it,” Harris said. “In the following year, if we still need the other 5 percent, we’ll put it on, but if we don’t, then we won’t. It depends on the need.”
Council members also approved the list of nine volunteers that were proposed for the Community Employment Board (CEB) for the PACE (Program Advancing Community Employment) Project.
Dr. Craig White, president of the PACE Project Inc., told council members about an organization that will help with funding for the PACE Project.
