By Kellen Olshefski
Correspondent
The City of Elkhorn Common Council voted unanimously in favor of increasing sewer rates for residents in 2019 at its meeting Monday night.
The 2019 rates will amount to Walworth County Metropolitan Sewerage District’s loading rates plus 10 percent. For the average household, this is expected to amount to about a $4 increase each month for residential consumers.
The decision comes on the heels of an expected WalCoMet rate increase that would result in a 9 percent rise in the City of Elkhorn’s operating costs for the sewer system.
City Administrator Sam Tapson had noted at the Nov. 15 Committee of the Whole Meeting that Elkhorn is already operating at about a 7 percent average deficit.
According to Tapson, if the City were to only increase its rates in line with the WalCoMet increases, it’s highly likely Elkhorn would continue to operate in a deficit.
In past years, the City has had to resort to using reserves to cover operations costs for the system, and with Elkhorn using $203,000 from reserves on debt service for the utility this year, it would bring the reserves down to roughly $200,000.
Under the previous rate model, Tapson said a major project would certainly result in the need for borrowing.
As such, Tapson suggested raising the rates by 20 percent over the next three years – 10 percent for 2019 and 5 percent each of the following two years – to minimize the effect on residents.
Tapson said raising the rate would bring the systems operating budget into a slight surplus, allowing it to cover infrastructure and maintenance costs such as some work on infiltration and inflow, one of the system’s biggest problems, which if repaired could benefit homeowners’ bills in the long run.
In other business
In other business, the Council on Monday also voted unanimously in favor of purchasing a rigid push camera for the Public Works Department in an amount not to exceed $13,000.
Alderman Scott McClory, chairman of the Finance and Judicial Committee, said the committee had met with Public Works Manager Matt Lindstrom about purchasing the camera.
According to McClory, the camera would be used to check certain systems like roof drains, internal plumbing inspections, storm sewer laterals and more.
“It’s something that we’re desperately in need of in the opinion of our committee as well as our DPW director,” McClory said.
As the liaison to the Elkhorn Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Alderman Tom Myrin also announced during the meeting that the chamber is looking for volunteers for its annual Christmas Day Community Meal, which is open to anyone in the community who doesn’t have a place to go for the holiday.
“If you’re looking for some place to volunteer and have a very humbling experience, it’s the perfect thing to volunteer for,” Myrin said.
The event is slated for the morning of Christmas Day, Dec. 25, and those seeking more information, wanting to make a donation or those interested in volunteering can contact the chamber at info@elkhornchamber.com or 262-723-5788.
