Point Boro to Decide Water, Sewer Rate Increases

An issue with what Point Pleasant Borough’s water and sewer rates should be, and thus how to fund a department in deficit for 2013, is before the borough council in an ordinance at Dec. 3’s meeting.

The council will decide whether to increase the sewer usage rate to $5.25 per 1,000 gallons, which is a 10-cent increase. The water usage rate would increase 2 cents, to $2.60 per 1,000 gallons.

The measure comes after the council tabled an ordinance earlier in the year on what should be done with the rates, specifically the ready to serve charge. For the past years, Point Pleasant residents were paying a surcharge of $17 each for water and sewer, on top of the usage charges and ready to serve charge. Council agreed to keep the surcharge for the remainder of 2013, and tabled an ordinance to raise the combined existing $40 ready-to-serve charge to a cost of $60 per quarter for water and $60 per quarter for sewer. At the time, borough officials said the changes were needed to fund the water and sewer departments, shrinking the department’s deficit to $300,000.

The newly introduced ordinance focuses on increased usage rates and higher ready-to-serve charges, but not as much as was debated in the tabled ordinance. The current ordinance proposes $22 for water and $45 for sewer, which is $26.50 more than 2013 rates.

The Republican majority councilpersons present  -- Toni DePaola, Council President Bob Sabosik, and Bill Borowsky – voted in favor of the ordinance’s introduction earlier this month. Democrat Councilmen Chris Goss and Chris Leitner voted against its introduction.

The Tuesday meeting will convene 7 p.m. in borough hall.