Revision to the story of A 20% ADD-ON TO BE TACKED TO A WESTMINSTER UTILITY BILL

(This story has been revised to reflect the increase is for sewer usage only).

In their official reaction to the vote by the Oconee Joint Regional Sewer Authority to implement a mid-year rate increase, the Westminster City Council voted 4-0 to pass the increase onto its sewer customers.  The increase is to show up on customers’ bills in March to reflect February sewer usage only.  The decision is prompted by Westminster concerns that the JRSA’s plight to re-plenish its revenues, what could be a further 20% increase for up to five years will drive the city’s finances into a hole unless the city’s retail treatment customers pay more.  A second municipal member of the JRSA, the city of Walhalla, projects an increase to the bills of its retail customers, perhaps, as high as 40% to Walhalla sewer bills.  Bleak as Westminster’s picture is, city administrator Kevin Bronson says there’s hope that the 20% increase is going to generate sufficient monies so that the JRSA won’t have to vote in a further 20% increase in a few months when its next government year gets started.