Citing increased costs of supplies leading to higher costs of producing water, Henryetta city council members approved a 15 percent increase in utility rates Tuesday night.
Acting as Henryetta Municipal Authority trustees, the increase is expected to add some $10 to each water bill starting July 1.
Mayor Michael Dickey pointed out utility rates last saw a significant increase in 2014 when the council approved a 15 percent increase. The following year the council approved a plan to increase rates tied with the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
That increase saw a half of a percent jump in 2016 then no increases for 2017 and 2019 There was a 2.2 percent increase in 2018, one percent in 2021 and three percent in 2023.
“Our price of chemicals used to treat water has gone up 250 percent since Covid,” Dickey said. He went on to say the cost of trash collection has also gone up from $500 to $750 in a year. “This has nothing to do with rates or buying equipment. It is just to keep up with costs.”
Pointing to new council members Steve Sanford and Vernon VanMeter, Dickey said he would like to start working on the budget process earlier.
“Historically just the city manager, mayor and city clerk work on it. I would like to get input from individual council members,” he said.
One of the changes in the budget this year was the move to have the airport designated as an unmanned facility. “A lot of cities our size are unmanned.”
He went on to say the the first year savings between $15,000 and $18,000 would be used to enable pilots to pay for fuel at the pump.
Councilor Jennifer Munholland pointed out the state requires Henryetta and all municipalities to pass a budget by July 1. “We have the ability to amend it as we move forward.” She said in the event of a major water line blowout funds can be moved around to help pay for it. “If we get more sales tax money in we can add it to a department.”
“This is my 64th day to be in office,” said new council member VanMeter. “Everybody said don’t raise the water rates but hearing what the city manager is doing, we researched and I think everyone is doing the best we can. I think this is best for the city.”
Dickey pointed out that people can go three minutes without air, three days without water and three weeks without food. Water is life. It is a priority for us.”
Both the utility rate increase and the new budget passed unanimously by the council.