The Rainsville City Council held its regular meeting on Monday, June 7, 2021. In the work session, Mayor Rodger Lingerfelt informed the city council that an agreement had been reached between the city and the Waterworks Water, Sewer & Gas Board of the Town of Section (WWSGBS) for them to start billing sewer customers for the City of Rainsville.
Lingerfelt said during that meeting, “we have partnered with Section-Dutton Water, Sewer, & Gas to start doing our billing for our sewer customers. With that, the rates will change because they bill by water rates and they bill by a minimum on all residential customers. So, that minimum will be $26.38.”
Mayor Lingerfelt stated that sewer rates have not increased in the last sixteen years, despite the USDA advising the city five years ago that they needed to raise the rates. He also said that letters will be mailed out soon explaining the billing increase to Rainsville citizens.
According to sources, this new billing system will cause a lot of sewer customer’s bills to skyrocket. Currently, Rainsville sewer customers are paying $22.00 a month for sewer service. If your water bill runs $26.38 a month or less, then your increase will be around a 20% increase, from $22.00 up to $26.38 a month. If you actually use water, then here is a break out of the new increase you will see.
Monthly Water bill Monthly Sewer bill increase
$26.38 or less 20% increase
$30.00 35% increase
$40.00 80% increase
$50.00 130% increase
$60.00 175% increase
$70.00 220% increase
This new billing system is going to be tied directly to how much water you use. So, if you use water to wash your car, water your lawn, plants or garden, fill your swimming pool, or use water for any outside use, you will pay for that on your sewer bill, even though that water never went into the sewer system.
In other business:
On March 15, 2021 the Rainsville sign code ordinance was passed. It authorized the City Council to set a fee for sign permits. In the Monday night meeting, the Council passed Resolution 06-07-2021 (A), which sets the fee for sign permits at $25.00 per sign.
The council approved to purchase real estate from Terry Taylor in the amount of $250,000. Mayor Lingerfelt stated, “this property will be a positive for the City in the middle of town.” The Council empowered Mayor Lingerfelt to obtain financing with First Southern State Bank.
The Council also approved to pave the following streets in this year’s paving project: Malcolm, Rabbit Run, Tucker and Santileon Lane.
The council also approved the following items:
$1,108.60 for the purchase of computer/software for the Annex, from SHI
$476.95 to purchase two cameras from GLC Enterprises Inc.
$950.00 for tree trimming on Hodges Street by Michael Wilbanks
$15,040.00 for a guardrail on Boozer Bridge
$7,102.40 to purchase of 100 garbage cans from Toter
$13,900 to purchase a Kubota Lawn Mower for Boykin Tractor
Police Training for Johnathan Haney
Passed Resolution 06-07-2021 (B) to surplus two mowers from the Parks and Rec Department
Appointed Community Consultants to Administrator and for Ladd Engineering to serve as Engineer for ADECA Grant/Sewer Plant
The next scheduled meeting of the Rainsville City Council will be on June 21, 2021. Work session starts at 4:00 and regular meeting at 4:30 p.m.
