Bath Council moves toward monthly water billing
The Town of Bath Council held the first reading of a new water tariff at the May 15 meeting.
Before the meeting started, Mayor Susan Webster asked for a moment of silence for Former Councilman Dale Lutman who passed away May 10.
Webster praised Lutman for his work on council for 10 years and said among his many accomplishments, served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and was a past Commander of the West Virginia American Legion.
The new water tariff, if approved by the West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC), would change the quarterly water department billing to a monthly cycle and raise some service fees.
A second reading and possible vote on the new tariff will be held at the next meeting on June 5.
If passed, the tariff will be sent to the PSC for approval. The town hopes to gain approval before the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1.
The water rates are unchanged and customers will essentially get a monthly bill of one-third of what they are paying quarterly, Chief Water Operator Terry Largent said.
Other changes include raising the service fees for turning water off at the meter to $35 and raising the reconnection fee to $35. The tap fee is raised to $850 for taps under one inch in diameter. Taps over one inch are billed at actual cost.
A copy of the proposed tariff is available at the town office.
Police report
Chief Craig Pearrell said a parking problem occurred Mother’s Day on Wilkes Street along the sidewalk recently installed as part of the Streetscape project.
Some people parked at the bump-outs, essentially leaving their cars in the middle of the road. Others parked on the sidewalk itself, he said.
Pearrell requested the council allow the street crew to paint the edge of the curving along the bump-outs yellow.
The council approved the request.
Purchasing card
Councilman and Finance Chairman Andy Swaim said the town’s monthly bills to date were $18,671.51. Of that total, $9,500, or approximately half, was purchased using the state’s new purchasing card, or P-Card.
The town is refunded up to 1.05% on purchases made with the P-Card.
Swaim said he is checking with High Mark Health to see if they will accept the P-Card for the town’s health insurance payments.
Donation
Webster said Rick Kesecker, president of The Mountain State Cruisers, offered to donate $500 toward a new sign for the municipal center. The cost of a new sign is $780.
Since the item was not on the agenda for this meeting, the issue was tabled until the June 5 meeting.
