City To Raise Electric Rates One Cent Per Kilowatt Hour
The Monticello City Council voted to pass the fiscal year 2016 budget after voting to raise electric rates one cent per kilowatt hour, cut five percent from every city department and adding a three percent convenience fee for using a credit or debit card for utility payments. They also voted to not raise taxes in the city.
The $2,300,000? budget was unbalanced at the beginning of the meeting by about $280,000. After budget work sessions prior to Tuesday’s meeting, there had been much discussion about finding innovative and alternate ways to generate revenues for the city.
It was explained by Mayor Bryan Standifer that every year the electrical funds are continuing to be under budget. He explained that if the city purchases $100 worth of electricity, they only sell about $96 of it. He said that the general fund has picked up the deficit for many years and that “it has to be made right.” He also explained that by supplementing with the general fund, property taxes of the citizens were being used to fund utilities.
After meeting with Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG) the recommendation was to raise the electric rates one cent per kw/h and generate $200,000 in revenues. If a citizen were to use 1100 kw/h in a month, it will be an additional $11 added to their bill.
All of the council persons agreed that this was a tough decision, but that electric rates were continuing to rise and that the electric fund should be self-sustaining. All of the council members agreed that every time an expense came up, it felt like the citizens took the burden. There was much talk about alternate ways to generate revenues, but just not one good enough even if it was implemented today.
{{more}}
Mayor Standifer said that even with the one cent the electric fund would just break even. And that there would be no extra should there be an emergency. He stated that to be back in line, there would need to be a three cent raise, and that “we can’t and won’t just drop that on our citizens.”
The increased three percent on credit and debit transactions would generate about $10,000 and the five percent cuts across the board within all departments showed to generate about $40,000. Those two with the one cent kw/h increase would equal $250,000 and the remaining $30,000 was voted to be taken from contingency. The council also agreed that any money from surplus equipment or from the sale of pulp wood would offset the amount from contingency.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, Tammy and Matt Williams of Monticello spoke to the council about there not being any handicap van accessible spaces on the Square. She explained that she had a handicapped daughter and that doing business on the Square was difficult as there was no good access for these vehicles. She gave specifications as to American Disabilities Association standards and documents to the council.
Ms. Williams told the council that there were five spaces on the square currently and the closest one that was up to code was in front of the Chamber of Commerce. She said that handicap vans needed access for the ramps on the right side, and all of the spaces needed signs. She explained that there was not one on the side of the Square with Tyler Insurance, and that the ones in front of Monticello Drugs and the courthouse were lined on the left.
The council made a committee and agreed to meet and inquire with the Georgia Department of Transportation as to how to remedy this issue.
The council also voted Tuesday to fix the heating and air in the bottom offices of the City Complex to the low bid of $11,000 so that it is inhabitable during the summer.
