Summer Averaging of sewer costs may be ending.
During the January City Council meeting, the council read an ordinance ending the Summer Average program.
This program averages your summer sewer bills with what you had earlier in the year to help account for people watering their plants, using pools, and other summer activities where the water would not be going into the sewer system.
Mayor Parnell Vann said, "What we have found over the last five years as in October when you're sewer bill goes back to its regular charge the disrespect that the ladies in the office are having to endure from the customers the language the lack of respect for them. This year I was in the office pretty much the entire month of October and got a good ear full of it. On three different occasions, I had to get up and go over and explain to the customer that we did not go up on your rate. We are not ripping you off."
If you want to not be charged for water that is used on summer activities though there is a solution if this ordinance is passed.
Citizens can have irrigation meters installed on their property that the city will turn on and off at no cost to the customer.
Water coming from the irrigation meter will not count for sewer usage and is to be used only for activities that will not drain the water into the sewer.
If anyone disagrees with this ordinance and would like to air one's grievance before the City Council they can call City Hall and ask to be placed on the docket for the next City Council meeting.