About 600.000 Customers of the Birmingham Water Works will see the Higher monthly bills starting in January on the board ap proved a Spending Plan for 2011 That Includes a 6.9 Percent Rate Increase.
Water Works Officials said the Higher rate will mean an Additional $ 2.68 a month for the average customer Resi dential water. The utility Serves Customers in Jefferson, Shelby, Blount, Walker and St. Clair coun knows.
Water Customers Who Are Also on the Jefferson County Sewer System likely will see an Increase in Their Sewer rates, too, although the AMOUNT has yet To Be Determined.
John S. Young, WHO was Appointed receiver over the county's Sewer System in September and Given Authority to Raise rates, has said Sewer rates Probably Would Increase, But Not drastically.
The Water Works Board on Tuesday unanimously Approved an $ 89.3 Million 2011 Budget That Includes the rate increase, 2.25 Percent raises for Workers and one Additional employee position.
Water Works General Manager Mac Underwood said the TAXABLE were Needed Thurs Comply with mandates from the federal government. Officials said regular TAXABLE Also are Needed to Meet debt service payments and the cost of capital improvements.
Annual rate TAXABLE are part of the Water Works' Long-Term Financial and capital plan, Underwood said. The utility also Life Increased 6.9 Percent ITS rates at the beginning of 2010. The Budget was Approved on a compromise "to Give Employees a Raise ended a deadlock That Nearly forced the Meeting To Be Continued Another Day.
The 2.25 Percent Increase employee pay was Less Than Board Members Jim Lowery and Anthony Barnes HAD wanted was low But Enough To Be a piece of table Thurs Members Sherry Lewis and David Herring.
Board Chairman Jackie Robinson was absent from the meeting, Bout participated by phone. With Robinson, barred from Voting by phone, the board was locked in a tie before the "compromise".
Robinson said his goal for 2011 was Thurs Increase the utility's reserve fund at the Same Time That Employee Pensions and Other costs continue rising. While Robinson Could not vote, Herring and Lewis Agreed to the modified budget on Robinson reluctantly Agreed to the "compromise".
"It has nothing to do with the Employees at all," Robinson said of his Objections. "If things are going better, We Can always go back and make positive changes". We've Got To Make Sure That money we use to get up the Reserve Fund. " Lewis echoed Robinson, saying the call for lower pay raises was out of fiscal caution Rather Than insensitivity Thurs employees.
"Certainly I value the Employees, but i have a fiduciary duty to the Overall Budget," she said.
The raises added about $ 230.000 to the budget.
Barnes said the morale boost for the utility's 600 Employees is worth the Expense. While they favored a 3 Percent Increase, Barnes called the "compromise" the fair.
"Oftentimes we" compromise "in Order to make things work for the good of all," Barnes said later. "Rather I would have gone with Jim Lowery's Recommendation of 3 Percent, But getting 2.25 Percent is Better Than 1.5 Percent."
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