UPDATE: In a narrow 4-3 vote, Jackson City Council approved a water rate increases that will cost average users $33 more per quarter.
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR HIGHLIGHTS:
"There is no easy solution to this," said Council Member Connor Wood (Ward 4). "I don't think we are suddenly going to become a community that doesn't have more infrastructure than we have money, and I think the longer we wait to fix the problems we have, the worse the solution is going to feel."
Council members had three options to choose from tonight: rate hikes of $21, $27, or $33 per quarter.
FROM TUESDAY'S COUNCIL AGENDA PACKET:
Wood was explaining his vote in favor of the maximum increase in water rates recommended by City Manager Jonathan Greene.
"We understand like Jackson — this isn't fun," said Greene. "It's not fun for you. It's not fun for the community. So what we put together was a pretty conservative estimate already. We'd already gone back to the drawing board and made a lot of cuts."
The increase will help fund a water system upgrade.
The plan, presented in April, is to replace 2,000 lead service lines, 11,600 linear feet of cast iron water mains, re-coat the East Side water tank, and various improvements to the Water Treatment Plant.
Council Member Will Forgrave (Ward 6), who voted in favor, pointed out that Jackson neighbors pay less than the state average for their water.
Former City Council Member Laura Dwyer Schlecte was at the meeting and told me she thinks the City should do better at saving money in other areas so that it would have more money for necessities like this one:
"It's probably necessary, but what we need to do is to make sure that we're not wastefully spending money."
