Monticello City Council votes to charge Tier 3 for secondary rates
Monticello’s four-tier system allows the city to charge more money for secondary water depending on drought conditions. The different tiers are designed to encourage conservation during times of drought.
At the city council meeting on April 13, City Public Works Director Nathan Langston presented the state of the city water supply, including current pond levels and levels at Loyds Lake, along with anticipated runoff from the snowpack.
Considering all those factors, Langston recommended the third tier of the four-tier system, classified as the “severe” tier.
The tiered system has different charges depending on how much water is used. For example, all four tiers have a base rate of $20 for any amount used, up to 11,000 gallons a month.
For gallons 11,000 through 30,000, the third ‘severe’ tier charges $2 per thousand gallons. If the city were in the fourth ‘crisis’ tier, the charge would be $5 per thousand gallons.
The rates rise along with how many gallons are used. For example, in the ‘severe’ tier, users are charged $30 for every 1,000 gallons used above 61,000 gallons. The charge is $75 for every 1,000 gallons in the ‘crisis’ tier.
After discussions regarding anticipated runoff, the cost of pumping water from Loyds Lake to the city reservoirs at the water treatment plant, and plans for an education campaign, the council voted 3-2 to approve the level three rate.
Council members Kim Henderson and Bayley Hedglin voted in favor of the level three rate, while Council members Ron Skinner and George Rice voted against it. Mayor Tim Young broke the tie to adopt the new rate.
Rice expressing a desire to go straight to stage four of the tiers, noting the conditions of the ponds, but that motion died without a second.
At the same meeting, the council voted to turn on secondary water on Monday April 26. Rice and Skinner both preferred the city delay turning on secondary water.
Other items discussed at the council meeting are the adoption of bylaws for the newly formed city Recreation Committee. The new volunteer advisory committee is aimed at aiding the city recreation and its programs.
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