Mayor breaks tie, sewer fees increased $2

Bonners Ferry Mayor Dave Anderson voted to increase sewer rates $2 per month for the city after city council deadlocked 2-2 on the issue.

The city originally purposed a $5 increase in a public hearing a month ago.

Council members Connie Wells and John Langs did not vote in favor of the increase and Dave Gray and Chris Clark voted for it.

City residents will see their sewer bill increase from $10.15 per month to $12.15.

Clark noted that an increase would be needed to cover costs of projects required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“We sat through the public hearing and have taken the heat on this issue,” Clark said.  We have had administrators tell us this increase is needed to support the infrastructure that we have.”

Clark explained that all he saw in this weeks packet provided to council members, and all he could see was sewer bills and expenditures regarding clarification project and monitoring of algae growth and responsibilities that other agencies have put upon them.

Clark made the motion to increase the sewer rates $2 and Gray second his motion.

“Dealing with the lagoon testing, the permits, the algae testing and the thousands of dollars we are going to have to come up with to do this, we really have no say,” said Gray.  When the EPA says we have to do it we have to do it, and people need to understand this.”

“I think Chris makes a good point,” Anderson said.  “I think for now that this will generate a little bit of money to cover some of the things we have to do this summer.”

Anderson said this issue will need to be re-addressed and the rates that were originally purposed will have to be met at some point because of the complication with algae and discharge requirements.  He said the necessity for the increase is there and if it isn’t now it will be soon.  He went on to explain that the sewer rates are still low in comparison.