HomeMy WebLinkAbout1972 11-09 Maplewood Protests Water Rate Hike DISPATCH Maplewood Protests
Water Rate Hike
vArr
Maplewood's village wood officials alleged
council, miffed over a 15 that there was "Made-
per cent water rate in- quate notice" of the pro-
crease levied against the posed rate hike hearing
community by St. Paul's for the village to prepare
water board, has adopt- a statement or to send
ed a resolution of pro- .representatives.
test. But the hearing had-
But in response, Gen- ample publicity. in St.
eral Manager Clifford . Paul newspapers, ac-
Hamblin of the St. Paul cording to Hamblin.
Water . Department has "All meetings were
suggested that the coun- open to the public," he
oil has no basis for com- said.
plaint. "The terms of our con-
"The resolution stated tract (with Maplewood)
there isn't sufficient jus- do not require notice to
tification for the in- the village . . . on rate
crease," Hamblin noted increases because the
in a letter to the village village is protected
council. against arbitrary rate in-
"We can't understand creases," he continued,
how the Maplewood "in that the village rates
Council could have cannot be raised without
enough facts at (its) dis- ••an increase within St.
posal on our costs and in- Paul. The rates within
come to make such a the city would not be
s t a t em en t," he ex- raised unless absolutely
plained. "The (new) rate necessary."
was a bare minimum Maplewood presently
necessary to cover antic- contracts with St. Paul
ipated costs in 1973." and North St. Paul for
municipal water.
Hamblin went on to Some Maplewood
point out that the depart- homes, however, have
ment staff actually rec- private wells.
ornmended a bigger in- Meanwhile, the village
crease than the "abso- has hired consultants
lute minimum" author- Kirkham-Michael t o
ized by the water board. study the feasibility of
Maplewood's council establishing an inde-
also complained because pendent, local supply of
the increase "does not water, possibly as early
c o n f o r m to federal as 1977.
guidelines." That would eliminate
"Water rates estab- the need to contract for
lished by a governrnen- water with neighboring
tal unit are not governed communities and
by the federal guide- achieve local control
lines,"Hamblin replied. over rates, village coun-
Additionally. Map 1 e- oilmen say.