Weaver City Council Reluctantly Approves Water Rate Increases Amid Rising Costs

Weaver, AL – Weaver held their regularly scheduled works session and City Council Meeting on July 23rd. Below are details of the meeting.

After the meeting was concluded the Calhoun Journal had the oppurtunity to speak with several Councilmembers and the Mayor. All stated they hated voting to increase the water rates and waste management rate, but felt they had no choice due to the increased costs posed to the city.

Councilmember Burns stated, “Prices are going up everywhere on utilities. We felt we had to increase prices for us to stay in business. We felt we had no choice.”

Mayor Pro Tempore Bowles stated, “No one wants higher rates on anything. The city has been putting off major price increases for many years. We understand that there are folks on fixed incomes and burdened financially. We are tasked with taking care of the entire water system for the citizens. We have reached the time where we have to cover the city’s increasing costs for labor, materials, and major upgrades to keep the water safe and flowing.”

Coucilmember McRae stated, “There’s nothing more than I hate to do than to go up on anything in the city, but we were hit with this all at one time sanitation went up a dollar per can last year and the mayor and council voted to absorb total cost where it would be none to the citizens then again this year another dollar per can so us as a council decided to absorb half of it to try to help with cost to the citizens of Weaver. With the new state law about having waterlines and meters inspected and the cost of that we had no other choice other than to go up on rates luckily we had in place the water maintenance fund that helped out tremendously or the rates would have went up a lot more. I don’t like it any more than anyone else let’s face it I live here as well. Look at it this way, if your water bill is an average $35. For water alone it only goes up $1.75 and sanitation .50 for a total of $2.25. I hope all the citizens of Weaver understand and God bless you all.”

Mayor Clendennig stated, “I just want to let the residents know that we don’t like having to raise water rates. We have not raised water rates in a while, and the cost of everything is going up so dramatically that we just have to go up to continue to maintain an efficient water system for the city. I am also really proud of the council to do the hard things that it takes to run and manage a city as well. It’s really easy to do the easy things, but when it comes to the hard things, sometimes you just got to do it right now.”

• Call to Order – Mayor Jeff Clendenning called the council meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
• Invocation – Mayor Jeff Clendenning gave the invocation.
• Pledge of Allegiance – Mayor Jeff Clendenning led the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
• Roll Call –
  • Councilmember Clint Burns – Present
  • Councilmember Tim McRae – Present
  • Mayor Pro Tempore Nick Bowles – Present
  • Councilmember Terri Summerlin. – Present
  • Councilmember Cathy Hamby. – Absent
  • Adoption of Agenda – Unamnmously Approved
  • New Business
  • Adoption of Previous Meeting Minutes
  • City Council Regular Scheduled Meeting – Tuesday, July 9, 2024 –
• Department Reports
  • Public Works Department – Director Jonathan Ingram – Director Ingram reported that in June, Waste Management increased the city’s monthly garbage pick-up rate by one dollar ($1.00) per can, increasing the city’s annual expense by approximately twenty-four thousand dollars ($24,000).
  • Police Department – Chief Wayne Bush – Chief Bush reported that he received a notice of resignation from a full-time dispatcher, effective in approximately two (2) weeks.
  • Fire Department/Code Enforcement – Chief Brian Bunn – Chief Bunn reported that the cost for the fire truck radiator repair will be approximately ten thousand dollars ($10,000).
  • Administrative Department – City Clerk/Treasurer reported that the 3 ^rd quarter budget reports were included in the councilmember packets.
• Council Reports
  • Councilmember Clint Burns – Councilmember Burns had nothing to report.
  • Councilmember Tim McRae – Councilmember McRae had nothing to report.
  • Councilmember Cathy Hamby – Councilmember Hamby was absent.
  • Mayor Pro Tempore Nick Bowles – Mayor Pro Tempore Bowles had nothing to report.
  • Councilmember Terri Summerlin – Councilmember Summerlin had nothing to report.

• Old Business
  • City of Weaver Audit – FYE September 30, 2022 – Mayor Clendenning explained that the audit was clean, the council was provided with a copy of the auditor’s letter to management, and the full audit is available for their review.
  • Certificate of Deposit (CD) with Investar Bank – 4 ^th Quarter – Mayor Clendenning requested to invest $250,000 from the city’s general fund savings account, the same as the three (3) previous quarters, and he asked the wishes of the council. Councilmember Summerlin made a motion, seconded by Councilmember McRae, to authorize Mayor Clendenning to invest $250,000 from the city’s general fund savings account with Investar Bank for twelve (12) months at 4.10% with a 4.18% APY, with Mayor Jeff Clendenning, Mayor Pro Tempore Nick Bowles, and City Clerk/Treasurer as signatories.

• New Business
  • Agreement Between City of Weaver Water Department and Jake Cohen and Joey Martin for Lead Service Line Inventory – Director Ingram explained that these contractors are Grade II Operators who will perform and certify all necessary functions of the inventory for approximately $25,000, to be paid from the Water System Maintenance Fund. Mayor Clendenning asked the wishes of the council.  Councilmember McRae made a motion, seconded by Mayor Pro Tempore Bowles, to enter into the agreement.  Upon vote of the motion, the following votes were recorded:  Ayes-All and Nays-None.  The motion carried.- Unamnmously Approved
  • Waste Management Rate Increase – Mayor Clendenning explained that in June, Waste Management increased the city’s monthly garbage pick-up rate by one dollar ($1.00) per can. He asked the wishes of the council. A motion was made to increase the monthly sanitation charge to customers by fifty cents (50¢) per can, effective the next sanitation billing cycle.  – Unamnmously Approved
  • Water Rate Increase – Mayor Clendenning explained that he has an idea to increase water rates by five percent (5%) each year over the next five (5) years, effective the first billing cycle of the new fiscal year (october 2024). A Motion was made to increase water rates by five percent (5%) each year over the next five (5) years, effective the first billing cycle of the new fiscal year.  – Unamnmously Approved
• Mayor’s Report – Mayor Jeff Clendenning – Mayor Clendenning reported the following:
• 1. He closed the Jacksonville Street land purchase today with Mr. Smith.
  2. The road paving is progressing well.
  3. The county has mostly completed cutting back the overgrowth on the Ladiga Trail.
  4. The county will begin cutting back the overgrowth on the roadways once the trail is complete.
  5. Alabama Power has begun to replace the streetlights with LED lights.
  6. He plans to schedule a budget meeting with department heads in August.
• Public Comments – No Comments
• Adjournment – Unamnmously Approved

__________________________________            ______________________________________

Jeffrey A. Clendenning, Mayor                           Attested:  Chasity L. Whetstone, City Clerk

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