Westminster budget sails through on first reading

Westminster’s proposed budget, with an overall total of nearly $11.5 million, received first reading last night with a unanimous vote of the city council.  There are no property taxes or electric power increases projected, however the city administrator highlighted three separate rate increases, after a new resident from the audience questioned why the city intends to raise its retail sewer charges.  Kevin Bronson, the city administrator, said as a municipal partner of the Joint Regional Sewer Authority, Westminster’s share of a proposed wholesale treatment increase amounts to 15.2%.  As to an $800 thousand dollar rebate that the city received from the JRSA, Bronson said most of that, so far, has been spent on sewer improvements within its service area.  The new Westminster budget also contains a five percent increase in retail garbage pickups and what amounts to an eight percent rate increase to customers outside city limits who are served by city water.