Utility rates may increase for Geneva (02/08/06)

GENEVA — Water and sewage rates appear to be going up in April.

Geneva council members Jim Timmons, Lew Wingler and Mike Schwartz passed the first reading of an ordinance Tuesday night that will see the minimum monthly charge increase to $16.13 from $12.24 for residential water meters.

Minimum sewage rates will increase to $3.51 from $3.13 monthly, and residents will now also be assessed a monthly charge of $2.29 for stormwater utility drainage.

The last increase for water usage was in 2000 and the last increase for sewage use was in 1996, clerk-treasurer Doug Milligan explained.

The council had discussed the possibility of increasing rates at its meeting in December when Scott A. Houser, CPA with Summers, Carroll, Whisler LLC, Muncie, presented the proposed increases.

Houser said at that time raising rates would allow the town to have enough funds to “write a check” for repairs that would be needed in the future, as opposed to applying for a loan to do the work.

Trash collection will remain the same at $7 per month, bringing the total monthly residential bill to $55.07 for a customer who uses 4,000 gallons of water, as compared to the $45.17 currently paid.

A public hearing on the proposed increases is set for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at the town hall and the council could pass the second reading of the ordinance following that meeting. If that occurs, council could pass the third and final reading at its regular meeting on March 7.

If that timetable is followed, Milligan said the increase would be reflected on residents’ April bills.

Additionally Tuesday night, council approved Red Gold’s request for a 10-year tax abatement that could eventually carry a $12 million price tag.

Bob Savage, director of risk management, and Carol Hanna, finance manager of Red Gold, addressed council about the plans for expanding the tomato processing plant’s production.

Plans call for updating the cook room to allow the plant to process tomato products during the pack season that are not currently done at the Geneva plant during that time.

“In the 10 years Red Gold has owned the plant we’ve invested almost $25 million,” Hanna told the council, “and employment has doubled. That’s full-time employees, not the seasonal employees. Our assessed value continues to grow.”

Savage said the $12 million investment would take place over the next two and one half years.

See Rates page 5

Continued from page 1

“We’ve made a commitment to Geneva,” Savage said, “and we are trying to get ourselves in place to look to the future.”

Additionally Tuesday night council members learned from fire chief John Kleinknight that the department is looking at remodeling the current fire station to make it more serviceable.

“We’ve talked the last 10 years about the fire station,” Kleinknight said.

Architect Stephen J. Alexander of Prince/Alexander Partners Inc., Indianapolis, presented preliminary plans for remodeling the current building on East Main Street.

His plans would open up both ends of the building to make it easier for trucks to get in and out, update the restrooms, kitchen area, and laundry room, create a space to work on equipment, and put a training room and office on the second floor.

He estimated the cost to be about $300,000 to $350,000 and explained it may be less expensive for the town to pay for the project outright as opposed to seeking grants.

“The building is worth fixing up,” Alexander said.

The building is the former site of the town hall and police station.

“We surrendered the whole building to them when we moved out,” town manager Steve Hampshire said today.

Alexander joked with council, “I’m not charging you for this — yet,” adding, “the next step is to go beyond the sketch. How big you want it and the traffic flow.”

Council agreed to allow Alexander to submit a cost for the project and for his services.

“There are five stages in our contract,” Alexander explained. “There’s the schematic design, design development, construction documents, bidding, and administering the construction.”

“I think we’re going in the right direction,” Kleinknight said.

Additionally Tuesday night, the council approved the third and final reading of an ordinance extending Insight Communications’ contract for 10 years to provide cable TV service to the town.

In other business Tuesday night the council:

•Heard Geneva Shores apartments resident Doug Sutton express concern about problems at the apartment, such as drugs and other illegal activities.

Marshal Rob Johnson agreed with Sutton that there have been problems at the apartment complex, “but the last couple of months it’s quieted down,” Johnson said.

“How do you make the landlord enforce rules?” Sutton asked about the complex that is privately owned.

“It’s a problem in every government subsidized apartment complex in Adams county,” town attorney Chris Harvey responded.

“We need to do something about it,” Sutton said of the situation.

•Heard Dennis Overdorf say that a historical marker will soon be placed in the Geneva Memorial Park next to the town hall building in downtown Geneva.

A member of Geneva Proud, Overdorf said of the $1,800 cost, the town had to pay $950 with the state picking up the balance. The marker will recap some of Geneva’s history on an engraving, he said.

“The state makes the sign, it comes to us completed, and it’s up to us to take care of it,” he said.

•Agreed to put a street light on Richfield Lane at the request of resident, Brenda Stump.

Hampshire said I&M would install the light and the town would be assessed an additional $11 per month for its operation.

•Heard Hampshire say that inspection of the water tower can now be done with a portable camera.

He said the cost was slightly higher to use the more modern equipment, but it saves the town 200,000 gallons of water that needed to be pumped from the tower before it could be inspected.

•Heard park board president, Jason Wilkie, say that a new roof would be installed on the park cabin at Affolder Park between April 28 through 28.

•Agreed not to pay a $3,213 change order bill submitted by Crosby Construction, contractors for the Winchester Road projects.

The bill was for the rental of barricades used during the relocation of a natural gas line.

“This is ridiculous,” councilman Schwartz said. “Why didn’t this happen in a timely fashion instead of after the project was completed? It wasn’t our fault the gas line had to be relocated.”

“We were fair with the contractor,” he continued. “I would vote ‘no’.”[[In-content Ad]]