Libby City Council OKs sewer rate hike

Libby City Councilors approved higher sewer water rates Jan. 21, but not before making an 11th hour change after residents complained the proposed fee schedule unfairly penalized them for summertime water consumption.

Under the reworked system, residents will pay a flat monthly fee of $29.75, up from $26.63. The city will charge an additional usage fee of $2.85 per thousand gallons from October through May.

During the summer months — June through September — residents will pay a usage fee based on the average water consumption of the prior eight months.

The original proposal, developed during years of work by a city council subcommittee, saw residents charged a flat fee per thousand gallons of water used year-round. Mayor Brent Teske said they changed the fee scheme just days before holding a public hearing and final vote in response to an outpouring of opposition.

“It was the letters we were getting that really brought it to light,” he said. “I appreciate that. I encourage people to come out to the council meetings and find out what’s going on and sit in on committee meetings. We do appreciate your input.”

The change is intended to reflect that the fees offset the cost of treating the water that goes down the drain and not what comes out of the faucet.

Paying for water usage during the summer months struck residents who contacted City Hall prior to the Jan. 21 vote as particularly burdensome. Many argued the fee was unfair and that keeping lawns, gardens and flowerbeds well watered during the warmer weather benefited the community.

“Putting [the fee rate] on gallons used for lawn watering is wrong as far as I’m concerned,” said resident Steve Tralles. “If you need to raise the revenue somewhere to cover your costs, put it on something we’re paying for. ... That doesn’t make sense for me for summer watering.”

Nearly all residents in attendance for the Jan. 21 public hearing said they supported the last-minute fee structure change. The main remaining criticism was that city councilors had failed to advertise it effectively before the public hearing.

Teske acknowledged the critique and urged residents in attendance to spread word of the change among their friends and neighbors as well as on social media.

“If you’ve got someone with nonfactual or false information and you don’t want to talk to them, send them my way,” he said.

The sewer water rate most recently updated in 2011. In years past, the city has averaged the water used by individual customers between October and December for the following annual billing cycle.

Under the new system, the flat rate will increase four percent annually until 2025 unless otherwise adjusted by city councilors.

Officials defended the rate increases as necessary, telling residents the money would offset rising operations costs and potentially aid with infrastructure upgrades. Salaries and wages increased by $75,865 or 34 percent since 2012, for example. Phone costs rose from $2,501 in 2012 to $5,881 in 2019, a jump of 135 percent.

Infrastructure needs include $792,000 for replacement influent pumps, $478,000 for a new mechanical bar screen and $764,000 to upgrade the grit removal system, among others. City councilors also listed $1,185,000 in potentially forthcoming sewer main repair and replacement projects.

“The repairs we are looking at and some projects that were listed are to try and reduce some of this. But it’s going to cost some money to make these upgrades to decrease these costs,” Teske said. “It’s amazing what people flush down the toilet. It’s incredible. If you ever want to take a tour [of the wastewater facility] let me know.”