RANIER – The Ranier City Council Thursday agreed to amend a sewer ordinance that will increase monthly sewer rates for residences in ‘Old’ Ranier effective immediately.
After taking oath of office, newly-elected Ranier Mayor Dennis Wagner explained the current monthly rate of $7 per residence will jump to $25 for the first 2,000 gallons of effluent used per month. For every additional 1,000 gallons used, the cost will remain at $2.45 per month.
Households impacted by the rate change are serviced by North Koochiching Area Sewer District. Because of additions and upgrades to the sewer plant, adjustments for expenditures are necessary to cover costs for the infrastructure, which are distributed to customers, Wagner said.
In December, the council set the monthly sewer rate at $34 for the first 2,000 gallons used. Ranier City Clerk Kim Nuthak last month told the council a letter from Tim “Chopper” McBride, director of NKASD, said sewer rates to the city of Ranier increased by 2 percent for 2013. Also, because of the renovations to the sewer plant, the city will be charged an additional $9,450 annually to cover costs.
Nuthak said the 2-percent increase is based on a five-year average of Ranier’s sewage use. She said there are 90 sewer customers in Old Ranier and the increase was divided equally among them.
After The Journal published that information, however, McBride said the numbers were inaccurate. He explained sewer rates for Ranier residences should only increase by $11.20 per household, which includes the 2-percent flow and debt service increases.
Wagner said Thursday the council was setting the rate at $25 per month to “keep the reserve fund at a level to do some repairs.”
Ranier’s Deputy Clerk Tara Mai told The Journal that when the city did a major sewer clean out in 2010, it cost about $12,000.
Mai added that the city hasn’t raised sewer rates since 2000.
Wagner explained that residences serviced by East Koochiching Sanitary Sewer District are charged $31.50 per month.
“Truthfully, we’re getting a good break on it,” Wagner said.
In other business Thursday, Wagner said he planned to arrange a meeting with the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Canadian National Railway officials to suggest that warning lights be installed at both sides of the Highway 11 east overpass near Ranier. He said the warning lights would tell motorists that a train may be blocking access to part of Ranier, allowing them to take a different route into the city.
“I think it is something that is necessary to do,” Wagner said.
The mayor noted it would be especially beneficial to emergency vehicles.
“I don’t feel we should have to endure the cost,” he added.
Also Thursday, newly-elected councilors Todd Coulombe and Tony Cole officially took office and were assigned to serve on a number of committees.
