Leesburg Has 2nd Public Hearing On Sewer Rate Increase
Posted
Jackie Gorski-jgorski@timesuniononline.com
LEESBURG – Leesburg Town Council held another public hearing on the increase of its sewer rates Monday.
The town had a sewer rate study done by Baker Tilly. In May, Nicole Grzybowski, of Baker Tilly, presented the council with the town’s sewer rate review. It was recommended the town increase the user fee portion of the sewer rate by 8.9% from $32.30 to $38.80, increasing the total sewer rate from $73 a month to $79.50 a month. Grzybowski said if the council decides to raise the sewer rates, it would take a minimum of two meetings to adopt the new rate.
In December, the council approved the rates to be increased to and told Baker Tilly of its decision.
Monday, Councilman Tom Moore said the council will put the rate increase to a second vote during its March meeting. The sewer rate will be increased to $80.
The only resident who spoke during the hearing was Mike Beezley, who asked about the history of the last sewer increase and said he supported the move to increase the sewer rate.
In other business, the council:
• Approved a reduced sewer rate for Stacy’s Restaurant as it closed for business as a restaurant at the end of 2022.
• Approved Insight Contracting LLC to do cleaning/root removal and CCTV inspection of the west alley storm drain in town.
Street Commissioner Craig Charlton said Insight will probably do the work when they’re in the area.
• Heard from Moore he wants to meet with Derek Tenney of Tenney & Sons to do some work on the sewer system preventative maintenance schedule.
• Heard from Charlton there was a dog complaint on West Prairie Street.
He said the complaint came from a house right outside of town limits. He called county animal control and the dog was taken to the Animal Welfare League of Kosciusko County.
Charlton made contact with the dog’s owners and the owners offered to make restitution for the damage done, but it was declined, he said. Charlton said the owners were told the dog couldn’t be in town limits because it was considered vicious by the town’s and county’s standards. The dog is no longer living within town limits.
