Tamaroa raises water rates to keep up with Rend Lake 5-year 17% hike
The Tamaroa Village Board devoted much of their time to water issues Wednesday evening.
Clerk Cheryl Pelker said the village had received a letter from the Rend Lake Water District stating that rates will increase by 3.5 percent each year for the next two years and three percent each year for the three years after that. The total increase will be about 17 percent.
The board voted to raise the village's water rates to match the increase from Rend Lake Water District.
The first rate increase takes place in May.
The board voted to award the contract for relocating the leaking water line at Red Hawk Golf Course to the low bidder, Haier Plumbing at a cost of $48,000. Kendall Odum of Southern Engineering said he will ask Haier to make a few small changes to their plan which could save several thousand dollars.
Three water customers also had issued for the board.
Maria Nunez, representing her brother Michael Coles, asked the board to pay to replace the pipes at the Taco Shack after the pipes burst. The village was asked twice in August to turn off water service to the Taco Shack. Billing was stopped, but the water was not disconnected. The owner did not verify that the water was disconnected or drain the lines before they froze then broke, flooding the building. The board suggested Coles and Nunez contact a plumber to look at the damage. Trustee Bill Place cautioned that the village has never paid for repairs past the meter and doing so would set a costly new precedent. Village Attorney Matt Foster recommended the board do nothing until getting an expert opinion on the matter.
Byron Stricker told the board that a representative of the Rural Water Association was supposed to come to his house to look for a leak, but had to cancel the appointment. He will reschedule.
The village has replaced Stricker's meter five or six times in the past few years, but it continues to run, indicating a leak.
"It is statistically impossible to have that many faulty meters," Trustee Place said. "You have a leak."
The board also heard from Roxanne Place who was told Jan. 15 that there was a leak at her home. Her husband dug down to find it then called a plumber to fix it. The plumber indicated that the leak was at the meter and was caused by faulty installation. The board suggested Place pay the normal amount of her water bill and seek the funds above and beyond that from J.K. Trotter, along with reimbursement for the plumber's bill. Attorney Foster said he would pass the bills along to contractor J.K. Trotter who installed the line during the recent water system expansion.
In other business, the board:
• authorized Darryl Wright to purchase approximately $1,000 of pipe and culverts to install drainage in the ditch on the south side of Second North Street.
• authorized Foster to begin negotiations with Mike Frost on a agreement to allow the village to drain and fill in the pond on his property.
• heard that the Easter Egg Hunt will be Saturday, March 30 at 1 p.m.
• suggested Trustee Kim Woodside ask for donations before buying Zumba videos and other equipment for exercise classes at the Community Center. Woodside said there are nearly 20 people interested in an adult exercise class. She hopes to begin classes for children and seniors over the summer.
• agreed to use Cal Mahnke for the annual tractor pull. Cost will be $2,200. Trustee Lisa Haycraft will ask Mahnke if he is free June 9 and if he plans to limit the number of hooks. She will report back to the board at the next meeting.
• agreed to give employee Brent Fisher a $.50 per hour merit raise. Salaries will be addressed again at the May meeting.
• agreed to donate the drafting table in the Ag Building to Nelson Knapp for all the work he has done for the village over the years.
• agreed to refund the rental fee to a customer who had to clean the Community Center and set up tables himself before his event.
• answered questions about fire hydrants for Bryon Stricker, who is a member of the local Fire Board. Stricker was informed that there is a two-inch water line in the Fire Station to fill tanks. The Fire Department recently requested that a fire hydrant be installed at the station. They can have a hydrant with or two or four inch line, but should not fill tanks from it unless it is an emergency. The village is responsible for flushing and maintaining hydrants. The Street Department employees were asked to give Stricker a list of the fire hydrants in town that need to be replaced. Stricker was also assured that the village will continue to borrow tarps to protect the gym floor during community events in the gymnasium. The village hopes to renovate the old school for use as a banquet hall over the next few years.