Manatee approves utilities rate hike

MANATEE — The average Manatee County family will see its monthly utility bill rise more than $5 next year after commissioners unanimously approved rate increases Tuesday.

Water, sewer and garbage rates are headed up Jan. 15 to cover what county staff called essential capital improvements to utilities buildings and equipment and an escalator clause in the county’s contract with garbage haulers.

The largest increase will come in water and sewer bills. A single family using less than 6,000 gallons of water per month will pay an additional $4.84 — from $55.42 to $60.26 — under the new plan. The current rate was set on Oct. 1, 2008.

The revenue from the water and sewer hike will go toward an investment in the repair and replacement of utilities infrastructure. The county needs $65.8 million for capital improvements during the next two years, according to Jim Seuffert, the county’s director of finance. About $30 million of that is required by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection.

Current water and sewer rates do not allow the county to keep up with its capital needs, Seuffert said.

Commissioners also approved a resolution Tuesday authorizing the issuance of $95 million in bonds to pay for the capital improvements.

“We’ve been spending all the cash available,” Seuffert said. “The (bond) ratings agency will ask, ‘What is your financial plan?’ You can’t say, ‘We’ll just scrape by.’ ”

Commissioners agreed the rate increases are necessary.

“The message is loud and clear: We can’t do business without raising rates,” Commissioner Joe McClash said.

Garbage rates will increase by 1.5 percent across the board. The county has been paying an additional 1.5 percent to its two haulers since Oct. 1 because of an escalation clause tied to the Consumer Price Index and fuel costs.

Under the new fee schedule, a single-family with yard waste and recycling will pay $12.96 per month, up 19 cents.

County resident William Wheeler opposed the rate increases and asked the commission to consider lifting the minimum usage rate level for residents from 6,000 gallons per month to 7,000 gallons per month.

He said homeowners association requirements force residents to use high volumes of water to keep their properties up to established standards.

“It’s a very hard balancing act for you, but for the public it’s a balancing act to pay our bills,” Wheeler said.

Utilities Director Dan Gray said making the change Wheeler suggested would cost the county $200,000 per year and save customers 45 cents per month. Commissioners did not include the change in the final resolution.

This story was originally published November 10, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Manatee approves utilities rate hike."