NORTH WEBSTER – North Webster Town Council approved a sewer rate increase at its Tuesday meeting.
The rate increase is $10 a month and is effective March 1 for sewer bills. A rate study was conducted last year. The rate increase will help maintain the town’s sewer system.
Appointments for 2025 were set with town attorney Jack Birch re-appointed, as well as current Town Marshal Greg Church. Town Council President Dan Thystrup will serve as president again.
Utilities Superintendent Mike Noe gave his report stating he is out of salt used on the roads but is waiting for more. He said snow removal is going well as a third truck has helped.
The purchase of an air compressor was approved by the council, at a cost of $7,180.
Noe said he is working on getting filters for storm drains to help combat runoff into Webster Lake. He will be ordering them in the near future.
A letter of intent for obtaining a Lake And River Enhancement grant was tabled. The grant application is needed to help secure the cost of dredging certain portions of Webster Lake. Webster Lake Conservation Association is the project’s sponsor.
The town’s cost of the dredging is $24,000, which is 20%, and 80% will be paid for by the grant. There may be a potential cost over-run of $900. Once accepted, the grant will be between WLCA and the town.
Clerk-Treasurer Leigh Anne Jessop said the town has budgeted the money.
Birch proposed tabling the letter for now to ensure the town is in compliance from a legal standpoint.
Noe said he has done away with sand and that has helped “the lake a lot,” he said of debris going in the lake.
A sediment study was done last year showing the importance of the dredging of the lake.
Mike Wyrick, of WLCA, said the Department of Natural Resources will only allow certain channels to be dredged but the DNR will not pay for the work.
“We can only dredge what the DNR approves,” he said.
Church gave the police department’s report for January. There were 208 calls of service. Of those, 16 were domestic battery or fights reported. There were two theft or fraud reports, two drug-related incidents, two alcohol-related calls, 26 traffic-related calls, eight vehicles in ditches, 18 citizen lockouts or assists and 19 agency assists for fire or EMS. There were a total 859.5 officer hours, 4,742 miles driven and 394.84 gallons of fuel used.
Steve Snyder, an attorney for the petitioner, proposed vacating a public right-of-way for a property on North Albert Eckert Drive. It was approved as presented.
“It will get it back on the tax roll,” said Birch of the vacated public way.
The next meeting is at 6 p.m. March 11 at the North Webster Community Center.