Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 12, 1990 TAG: 9006120291
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In nearly empty council chambers, Salem City Council gave final approval to a $58 million budget for the 1990-91 fiscal year. The budget includes a 17 percent increase in water and sewer rates - effective July 1 - to help offset the cost of citywide public works improvement projects.
The rates will increase by a percentage that will enable the Water Department to pay for itself, yet will not permit the Sewer Department to avoid operating at a deficit.
Current monthly water rates for both domestic and commercial customers is $1.20 per 1,000 gallons for the first 50,000 gallons used and $1.10 per 1,000 gallons for the next 450,000 gallons. Any amount over that in one month carries a rate of $1 per 1,000 gallons.
Current monthly sewer rates are $1.45 per 1,000 gallons, based on 100 percent of monthly water consumption. The minimum rate for one month is $6.
Water and sewer rates were raised slightly at the beginning of the current fiscal year. Before that, the rates hadn't changed since 1985.
Nearly $3.5 million of an upcoming $5 million bond issue has been earmarked for sewer-system improvements - correcting inflow and infiltration problems, repairing faulty lines and extending existing sewer lines. Targeted areas include the Lee Mitchell and Heidelberg Estates subdivisions and the North Mill Road area.
Two of the targeted areas became part of Salem as a result of annexations. The Heidelberg subdivision was part of Roanoke County property annexed into Salem in 1985. The North Mill Road area - where some households are without indoor plumbing - was annexed from the county into Salem in 1966.
The budget also includes an 11 percent increase in tipping fees for use of the Solid Waste Disposal/Energy Recovery Plant. With the fee increases, Roanoke County and private and non-profit institutions will be charged $20 per ton and business and commercial haulers, $24 per ton, with a minimum of $12 for any load.
"The increase will bring us up to what the regional landfill tipping fees are now," City Manager Randy Smith told council.
Smith had proposed that private citizens be allowed to use the waste-disposal plant for a $5 fee. But Councilman Alex Brown objected to the fee, saying that the city shouldn't penalize its citizens for using the plant.
Council followed Brown's objection and voted to allow citizens to use the plant at no charge.
The budget does not include any payment to a proposed consolidated Roanoke and Roanoke County government for public facilities in territory identified as being allowed to become part of Salem.
Other budget highlights include:
$18.2 million for the city school system, a 6.3 percent increase over current school funding;
$369,000 in meals and lodging tax revenue for new landfill equipment, new equipment for the Sewer Department and to complete funding for the $1 million James I. Moyer Sports Complex;
A 4.5 percent cost-of-living raise for city employees;
The placement of a portion of the 1989-90 year-end balance in a reserve account, to be applied toward solutions on sewage treatment, landfills, solid-waste disposal and recycling;
Nine new positions, including a five-person crew that will be charged with identifying faults in the city sewer system.
by CNB