Council OKs study of water rates

By Robert Cox

RCox@cherryroad.com

A water rate increase for Berryville residents is looking more and more likely after Mayor Tim McKinney received permission from the city council to commission a water rate study.

The study will be performed by Engineering Services Inc., the Springdale- based engineering firm contracted by the city for most of its engineering needs.

Tim McKinney

“We know we have a need for a water and sewer rate increase,” McKinney said, speaking during the council’s regular meeting on Sept. 6. “After looking at it, I think our staff could come up with a pretty good figure, but I believe we’d be better off to have our engineers do a rate study.”

Last month, when McKinney first floated the idea of a potential rate increase, he noted several upcoming projects that need to be addressed. Last week, he reiterated that need.

“We’re very familiar with our system,” McKinney said. “We’ve got this tank coming up to paint and stuff like that, so we need to look at it. did a rate study for us before, and we didn’t put all the rate increase in effect they wanted to, and now we’re back for another rate increase.

“I think they have a better handle on it.”

Council member Linda Riddlesperger said commissioning a rate study would be a good idea.

“I think that would be wise,” Riddlesperger said.

McKinney noted that commissioning ESI to do the study might save the city some money.

“They have a lot of our information already, so I don’t think it’ll be that expensive,” McKinney said. “They’ll look out five to seven years and give us a projection. Eight years ago, we didn’t implement what they wanted to do at the time.”

“Might should have,” said council member Max Nichols.

In other business, the council reviewed the monthly report from the city’s Saunders Museum.

“We’re hanging in there,” said Riddlesperger, who volunteers at the museum.

The report, prepared by museum director Joan Lasseter and issued for the month of August, showed the museum hosted 142 visitors — 133 adults and nine children, down from 194 visitors in July — and took in $977.50, including $685 in admission fees, $282.50 in merchandise sales and $10 in donations. In July, the museum took in $1,299.

Last year, the museum hosted 180 visitors in August and took in $1,036.25.

The council also approved a request from the Carroll County Historical and Genealogical Society to make use of Pioneer Park for the organization’s annual Pioneer and Heritage Days event, which is scheduled to run from 7 a.m. through 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 23-24.

The event marks the second year for the festival after a layoff of more than two decades, and historical society president Starlene Lee said this year’s event would be “bigger and better.”

McKinney also signed a proclamation during the meeting declaring the fourth weekend of September as “Pioneer and Heritage Days” in Berryville.

The council’s next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, at Berryville City Hall.