At its Tuesday meeting, the Gary Common Council heard from the city’s sanitary district executive director and multiple residents about upcoming changes to the wastewater treatment and stormwater fees.
The council was originally expected to vote on the rate increase ordinances Tuesday, but Councilwoman Linda Barnes Caldwell, D-5th, asked for the legislation to move back to the finance committee.
Council members unanimously approved the motion, citing residents’ concerns as the reason for the delay.
A public hearing for the wastewater treatment and stormwater fee increases is scheduled for Nov. 17. The city council has final say on the fee increases.
According to ordinance documents, the wastewater fee increases are for “non-residential” users. Gary Sanitary District Executive Director Ragen Hatcher said Tuesday that the increases would impact about 28 industrial users and 1,800 commercial users throughout the city.
The average commercial user in Gary uses between 2,000 and 3,000 gallons of water per month, Hatcher said, adding that the rate increase would be about a $15 change per month in their bill.
Industrial users will have a larger increase because their usage is greater, Hatcher said. She did not elaborate on what the actual change will be.
“I just want to say that also, we are under pressure from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice to make this change in our rates,” Hatcher said.
Rates have not increased since 2001, Hatcher said, adding that “substantial upgrades” are needed for the Gary Sanitary District plant, which she expects to cost about $155 million.
“Without this increase, we do not have the funding to be able to do this,” Hatcher said. “Without the increase, it will be similar to how the schools were taken over by the state of Indiana.”
According to council documents, stormwater fees have increased for infrastructure management projects, salaries, security and maintenance.
Stormwater fees for industrial buildings are $162 per month, according to sanitary district documents. All commercial plots, including buildings with more than 19 units, will be $90 per month, and those between four and 19 will be $62 per month.
During the meeting’s public comment portion, multiple residents expressed concerns about how the rate increases might impact small businesses.
Eric Allen owns a property where he works downstairs but lives upstairs, and he hasn’t been told if the rate increases would impact him.
“Is this a flat, across-the-board increase that will impact small businesses?” Allen said. “We need to get a little more clarification about that.”
Although it’s clear to Allen that the city needs to increase rates, he said that he would like more communication from the city.
Resident Jackie Lee also asked during public comment for the ordinances to go back to committee until it’s clear to all residents how they might be impacted.
“Reword it, figure it out,” Lee told the council members. “Do not let our small businesses get affected by this without all consideration.”
mwilkins@chicagotribune.com
