NORTH WEBSTER – Town council held a special meeting Friday afternoon at the North Webster Community Center to discuss a sewer rate increase. Residents will see a 31.25 percent increase, bringing the rate to $48 monthly, according to a proposed ordinance. The rate increase became necessary after the town was contacted by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and told the sewer system needs major upgrades. Of the 13 lift stations in the town, 10 were cited by IDEM. At the council’s last meeting, members signed paperwork expressing intent to proceed with the town’s $450,000 grant application. The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs grant will be paired with a $1.4 million bond issue to fund the wastewater treatment plant upgrades. However, the bond could not be issued without a rate increase determined sufficient to repay the bond. While the rate will increase dramatically, members of the council suggested evaluating rates on a three- to five-year basis in order to avoid such dramatic increases in the future. The ordinance outlining rate increases will be introduced at Tuesday’s council meeting.
