March 25, 2009
Hearing For 25% Sanitary Fee Increase
$3.1 Million Dollars for 18-Inch Sewer Upgrade at Kinetic Park/ Route 10/ Hal Greer Blvd.
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) - A handful of citizens turned out for the 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, hearing of the Huntington Sanitary Board on a proposed 23% rate increase. Call it nice weather, the Obama news conference at 8 p.m., or indifference, no one directly spoke against the utility upswing which must be passed by Huntington City Council.
Based on the presentation, the major project will be installing a eighteen inch line under Interstate 64 which will provide sufficient capacity for Huntington High School, Kinetic Park, the lower level tenants, the businesses across from Kinetic (i.e. Wendy’s , Ramada), and planned, unspecified , further development.
During the upgrading of this line, storm sewer separation will be accomplished , where needed.
John D. Klein, project manager for Kimball Engineering, explained the project would replace sewer lines beginning on Mount Union Road then go down and across to a pump station at Kinetic Park, out and around Bennett’s Point, to Wilson Court out to Washington Blvd.
“There would be two submersible pumps in there [ Kinetic Park pump station] ,” which Klein said would include a backup generator. “We’re looking at approximately $3.1 million dollars,” Klein said.
Bob Childers asked , “What size is the line when it gets to the pump station at Kinetic Park?”
Klein and other members confirmed, “it’s eighteen inches.”
The other projects are: Design work on new 13th Street pump station, fixing lines at 19th Street East and 13th Street West, replacing the Richmond Street pump station, and the aforementioned line along West Virginia Route 10.
The cost of all these projects is $7.3 million. The increase would allow the Sanitary Board to borrow money to complete all the listed projects. Only the Kinetic Park/Route 10 project was discussed at the public hearing.
Mike Griffith told attendees, “This is part of an overall package as it relates to rates. The current Sanitary Board operations do not require an increase in rates. But, the projects proposed are part of the impetus for the increase in rates that are forthcoming.”
The board is “pursuing the best we can get for the city,” Griffith continued, adding, “We’re on the stimulus funding list for DEP… that means we’re on their eligible list.” However, the current low sanitary rates could be a penalizing impediment to obtaining the stimulus funding. “The rates are below the median household income threshold ; however, we’re hopeful we’ll still get DEP SRM loan packages which are from zero percent to three percent borrowing.”
Jim Ashworth, Sanitary Board member (who had filled in for the prior director, Bruce Fox, during his serious illness) stressed that the work in the Kinetic Park/ Route 10 area would increase the capacity of the current system and leave room for future development.
Asked about the price hike on those with fixed incomes, Ashworth retorted to HNN: “If a fixed income means you are retired, I live on one. I hope everyone else will be willing to [pay it]. Our sewer rates are probably the lowest utility bill we pay. I think if the people are aware of what we’re doing, they would realize we have to have more money to do more. We’re not asking for more money for what we do now.”
Griffith, an engineer expressed haste in gaining approval, as currently contractors still suffer from the down turn, which will change once stimulus funds flow. By quickly moving the project to bid, the theory is that contractors would bid lower than after their business picks up.
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Hearing For 25% Sanitary Fee Increase
$3.1 Million Dollars for 18-Inch Sewer Upgrade at Kinetic Park/ Route 10/ Hal Greer Blvd.
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) - A handful of citizens turned out for the 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, hearing of the Huntington Sanitary Board on a proposed 23% rate increase. Call it nice weather, the Obama news conference at 8 p.m., or indifference, no one directly spoke against the utility upswing which must be passed by Huntington City Council.
Based on the presentation, the major project will be installing a eighteen inch line under Interstate 64 which will provide sufficient capacity for Huntington High School, Kinetic Park, the lower level tenants, the businesses across from Kinetic (i.e. Wendy’s , Ramada), and planned, unspecified , further development.
During the upgrading of this line, storm sewer separation will be accomplished , where needed.
John D. Klein, project manager for Kimball Engineering, explained the project would replace sewer lines beginning on Mount Union Road then go down and across to a pump station at Kinetic Park, out and around Bennett’s Point, to Wilson Court out to Washington Blvd.
“There would be two submersible pumps in there [ Kinetic Park pump station] ,” which Klein said would include a backup generator. “We’re looking at approximately $3.1 million dollars,” Klein said.
Bob Childers asked , “What size is the line when it gets to the pump station at Kinetic Park?”
Klein and other members confirmed, “it’s eighteen inches.”
The other projects are: Design work on new 13th Street pump station, fixing lines at 19th Street East and 13th Street West, replacing the Richmond Street pump station, and the aforementioned line along West Virginia Route 10.
The cost of all these projects is $7.3 million. The increase would allow the Sanitary Board to borrow money to complete all the listed projects. Only the Kinetic Park/Route 10 project was discussed at the public hearing.
Mike Griffith told attendees, “This is part of an overall package as it relates to rates. The current Sanitary Board operations do not require an increase in rates. But, the projects proposed are part of the impetus for the increase in rates that are forthcoming.”
The board is “pursuing the best we can get for the city,” Griffith continued, adding, “We’re on the stimulus funding list for DEP… that means we’re on their eligible list.” However, the current low sanitary rates could be a penalizing impediment to obtaining the stimulus funding. “The rates are below the median household income threshold ; however, we’re hopeful we’ll still get DEP SRM loan packages which are from zero percent to three percent borrowing.”
Jim Ashworth, Sanitary Board member (who had filled in for the prior director, Bruce Fox, during his serious illness) stressed that the work in the Kinetic Park/ Route 10 area would increase the capacity of the current system and leave room for future development.
Asked about the price hike on those with fixed incomes, Ashworth retorted to HNN: “If a fixed income means you are retired, I live on one. I hope everyone else will be willing to [pay it]. Our sewer rates are probably the lowest utility bill we pay. I think if the people are aware of what we’re doing, they would realize we have to have more money to do more. We’re not asking for more money for what we do now.”
Griffith, an engineer expressed haste in gaining approval, as currently contractors still suffer from the down turn, which will change once stimulus funds flow. By quickly moving the project to bid, the theory is that contractors would bid lower than after their business picks up.
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Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
