By Brandi Watters, Herald Bulletin Staff Writer
April 08, 2009 11:53 pm
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CHESTERFIELD — For the first time in 20 years, Chesterfield and Edgewood residents could begin paying the same sewer rates paid by Anderson residents, and they’re not happy about it.
According to Anderson Deputy Mayor Greg Graham, the city established a 20-year agreement with the municipalities to keep rates low, but that agreement expired in December, and the city believes it’s time for town residents to pay up.
“Our people believe that if you are on the sewer system, you should not be paying less than what Anderson residents are paying,” Graham said Tuesday.
Anderson currently treats sewage for Chesterfield and Edgewood.
In Chesterfield, residents pay $1.11 per 1,000 gallons, Graham said. Anderson residents pay $5.46 per 1,000 gallons.
Officials from Edgewood could not be reached by press time.
The Anderson City Council will vote today to bring Chesterfield and Edgewood rates in line with what Anderson residents are paying.
Chesterfield officials think the change is unfair and circulated a flier recently urging town residents to attend the Anderson council meeting this week. The flier claimed that Anderson was raising Chesterfield sewer rates by 400 percent.
Chesterfield Council President Jack Taylor said the increase is unfair because Anderson residents pay for more than just the treatment of sewage. Included in each Anderson bill, he said, is a charge for line maintenance, administration fees and other services not received in Chesterfield.
Anderson does not maintain Chesterfield sewer lines, he said.
Some officials also believe Anderson is trying to get Chesterfield to pay for its combined sewer overflow separation project by raising rates.
Chesterfield recently completed its own combined sewer overflow project and Taylor said town residents should not be charged to help pay for the CSO project in Anderson. “They don’t maintain our lines. We’ve already separated our lines,” Taylor said.
Chesterfield Council member Karen Wilson wants Anderson to keep rates low, because Chesterfield does not receive the same services offered to Anderson residents. “I just think they need to be fair like they have been in the past.”
After 20 years without a rate increase, Taylor said Chesterfield is ready for a hike, but not one that would bring them to $6 per 1,000 gallons. The town tried to negotiate with Anderson he said, but didn’t want to pay more than $2 or so per 1,000 gallons.
Chesterfield resident Julie Whited is also concerned about the rate increase, but was more concerned about the flier released by town council members.
“They’ve misled us. Yes, it’s going up 400 percent, but as most people have read that flier, they’re thinking, ‘oh my gosh, my sewer portion is going to go up 400 percent.’”
Only a small portion of the total sewer bill will increase 400 percent, but Whited said the flier made town residents believe the entire bill would quadruple. “One lady said she’s been sick to her stomach ever since she read that.”
Wilson said the town attorney composed the flier, and is worded correctly.
“Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s ethical,” Whited argued.
With the threat of a rate hike publicized throughout the town in the flier, council members are now confident that Anderson’s next council meeting will be filled with faces from their neighboring town. “I think their council needs to hear the residents. I don’t know how much they really know about the situation. They have a right to speak,” Taylor said.
Contact Brandi Watters 640-4847, brandi.watters@heraldbulletin.com
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