Higher bills and new town council member coming up for Fillmore

Sunday, October 5, 2014

FILLMORE -- Change was the order of the day as the Fillmore Town Council conducted its monthly meeting Thursday night at Town Hall.

Changes will be coming in the form of higher utility bills and a new council member.

The news of increased water and sewer rates is hardly surprising to council members, although this does not make it welcome news.

For some months now, Greencastle Municipal Utilities, which supplies water and sewer services to Fillmore, has been looking at rate increases to pay for some state-mandated to its water and wastewater plants.

Much like retail customers in Greencastle, the Town of Fillmore will see rate increases passed down to it.

Add to this a rate study conducted for Fillmore by Dan DeVault, who has found some shortfalls in Fillmore's bond requirements, and the council will be forced to make the unpopular mood in the coming months.

DeVault told council members Thursday the town has no money in its debt services reserve, which means it is technically not meeting the requirements of its water bond.

In the short term, Fillmore will likely be looking at a 26 percent increase to its water rates, and a phase 1 increase of 13.8 percent to its sewer rates.

The Greencastle sewer rate increase will come in two phases, one taking place in November 2014 and the other taking place in January 2016. DeVault recommended further research before Fillmore implements its phase 2 increase.

There was also discussion of a possible annual increase of 3 percent in the future to keep up with rising costs.

Frustrated seeing Fillmore's already high utility rates increasing, Councilman Curt Leonard asked if there was any way for Fillmore to perhaps build its own water and sewer plant.

"I don't know where you could get the money," DeVault said, adding that it would mean taking on a lot of new debt.

Council members agreed that more debt is not a good idea.

"We've go to do something," Leonard said. "The people of town can't afford that. We're trying to attract people to town and this is running them off."

No decision was made regarding the rates, as the council must have the town attorney draft an ordinance, which must then pass two readings.

A special meeting is likely for the council to make a decision.

Another important decision is on the horizon with the selection of a new member. Ward 3 Councilman Tam Van Rensselaer, who was not present Thursday, has submitted her resignation, effective Dec. 31. She will be moving out of town and no longer be eligible to serve.

Councilmen Leonard and Alan Jones will choose a successor for the rest of Van Rensselaer's term, a move they hope to make in November.

Anyone interested in the position may contact Town Hall at 246-6711 or apply by contacting Leonard or Jones.

The replacement must be from Ward 3, which runs from Putnam Street south to the town limits and from Main Street west to the town limit.

Van Rensselaer has served since April 2011, which she was appointed to replace the deceased Jeff Osborn. Her current term expires on Dec. 31, 2015.

In other news:

* Trick-or-treat hours were approved for 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31.

* The council approved the 2015 town budget and salary schedule as presented by Clerk-Treasurer Wanda Seidler. As written, the budget includes $103,515 for the general fund, $17,000 for road and street and $47,516 for the motor vehicle highway fund.

Jones and Leonard approved the budget, but final numbers will be the decision of the state Department of Local Government Finance.

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