Council Looks at Water, Sewer Rates
Eyes Multi-Tiered Rate System
The City Council discussed creating a multi-tiered water and sewer rate system where consumers that use more water pay a higher rate.
– Allison Goldsberry
City Council President Robert Maiocco is pushing a simple idea for Medford’s water and sewer rate system.
“My motto is use more, pay more; use less, pay less,” said Maiocco.
Maiocco first floated the idea during a September Council meeting and it’s picking up steam in the Council as well as with the mayor, city engineer, Public Works Commissioner, and Water and Sewer Commission.
Turns out, according to a consultant hired by the city, communities serviced by the MWRA are required by law to charge those who use more water at a higher rate, though the law is rarely enforced.
The consultant, Stephen Woodcock, recommended the city proceed slowly with setting up a multi-tiered water and sewer rate system given its recent problems surrounding the installation of the new water meters.
It’s those very problems, including sky-high bills and a $3 million deficit in the water and sewer enterprise account, that prompted Maiocco and the rest of the Council to look into changing the rate structure.
“The initial meter installation program went tremendously poorly…Any additional change…we have to do it in a way that’s competent and responsible to the people,” said City Councilor Fred Dello Russo.
According to City Auditor Anne Baker, nearly $1 million of the deficit has been recouped through raising the water and sewer rates in July. The deficit is mainly the result of a lack of bill payment.
Baker said some commercial customers had incorrect readings for years, which led to a large revenue loss for the city.
“It’s true lost revenue. It’s true water usage for which there was no revenue for,” said Baker.
Baker expects to have a full report of an independent audit conducted on the water and sewer account in a few days.
Meanwhile, the city still has about seventy old water meters left that need to be replaced with the new meters. City Engineer Cassandra Koutalidis said the city has been met with resistance from the homeowners on installing the meters. Without the new meters, those residents are likely not receiving the most accurate readings and billing of their water usage.
Koutalidis said her office is making progress on those last stragglers and continues to iron out some technical kinks with the new meters.
Some Councilors Balk at Less Meetings, More Money
The Council got nowhere Tuesday night when debating whether to give themselves a raise and to hold less meetings.
Councilors Robert Penta and Paul Camuso got into a shouting match over whether the Council should can a monthly meeting with the mayor that hasn’t taken place for years and should reserve the last Tuesday of every month for subcommittee meetings.
Both recommendations were approved by the Rules Committee, which is chaired by Councilor Camuso.
The debate ended when Penta threw out a procedural move that suspended the discussion on the issue until next week’s meeting.
At the request of Councilor Stephanie Muccini Burke, the Council also tabled a recommendation from Mayor Michael McGlynn to raise each councilor’s monthly expense allowance by $100. The mayor recommended the same for the School Committee during its Monday night meeting, which the Committee approved.