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Sea Isle Water, Sewer Rates Jump 15 Percent
Government | Fri, 03/20/2009 - 3:20 pm | Read 1629 | Commented 20 | Emailed 3
Tags: Sea Isle City, sewer, taxes, Water
Tags: Sea Isle City, sewer, taxes, Water
Sea Isle City Water Tank
SEA ISLE CITY — Water and sewer users in this community are facing a $1.1 million or 15 percent hike in user fees.
The cost of water jumped from $240 to $280, while the sewer charges went from $640 annually to $740 per dwelling unit.
On Tuesday, March 17, City Council voted 3-1 to approve the rate hike ordinance. Councilman Frank Edwardi was absent from the vote and Councilman Michael McHale represented the single no-vote.
The increases are expected to make up for a $158,000 shortfall the utility had last year, McHale said.
Council President John Divney said 70 percent of the hike is due to a $388,000 debt service increase and $389,000 increase in charges from the county Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA).
McHale told the Herald that the administration failed to inform council of the shortfall in a timely fashion that would have allowed more time to find a better solution to the problem. He said utility bills were mailed out in October and council didn’t find out about the shortfall until the budget was proposed in January.
“We should have looked at this situation sooner,” he said.
McHale also faulted the administration for ignoring recommendations made in a report done by SICTA, the city’s taxpayers association. The report found that the city allegedly misallocated over $800,000 in expenses to the water and sewer utility from the municipal budget.
SICTA made eight recommendations in its report:
• New rate approach including lower base chares, lower water rates and higher sewer rates
• Subsidized low-flow fixtures for customers that use more than 200,000 gallons
• 25 percent rate surcharge for large customers that don’t use low-flow fixtures
• Inspection of “exclusion” meters
• Invest in smaller infiltration and inflow projects while larger study is done
• Publish monthly reports to improve understanding of usage trends
• Create committee to focus on MUA budgeting and municipal allocation
• Certify independently the accuracy of the MUA sewage flow meter
SICTA President Tom Henry said his organization was very disappointed that council approved the rate hike particularly after the 60 percent increase enacted only two years ago.
“Our review of the Rate Structure revealed a grossly unfair system that overcharges the majority and provides significant savings to a small number of high volume users,” Henry wrote.
“Our studies were shared with the City Administration and City Council in a timely manner that would have allowed time to amend the Ordinance,” he added. “Sadly, that did not happen. SICTA will continue to fight for a fair rate structure. The majority should not be charged for the excesses of less than one percent of the ratepayers.”
Divney said SICTA made some good points in its report particularly regarding the current rate structures and the Infiltration and Inflow situation, but there wasn’t enough time this year to consider the recommendations.
“We’ve agreed to review the report with the administration and will invite SICTA to join us,” Divney said.
Administrator George Savastano could not be reached on March 19 or March 20 for this report. Check back at www.capemaycountyherald.com and the March 25 print edition of the Herald for updates.
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com
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Comments (20)
We welcome your thoughts, stories and information related to this article.
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 11:37am - Posted by: Anonymous
What could they charge you for if there is no use on the water meter? Something is not right. Your meter must be defective you have a right to have it checked and I would.
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 2:16pm - Posted by: Anonymous
I agree if your water is shut off what are you being billed for? There must be a mistake you should check into this. I think you are being billed a connection fee of $5.00 to $10.00 a month for having the service available, you should not be billed for any usage.
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 1:58pm - Posted by: Anonymous
Poor babies, not making enough money putting 20 college kids in your properties?
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 7:57pm - Posted by: Anonymous
If I go to a bank and get a mortgage to buy a property and agree to pay monthly for say 30 years, why would I stop in October? A mortgage is a bank loaning you money, go back to school, you are a bigger fool then I thought. Why don't I pay for electric, gas, telephone, cable? Why, explain that to everyone. I still have the electric meter and wires coming into my property, still have the gas meter and pipes along with the cable and phone wires and everyone of these utilities have to continue to maintain the grid, but I don't pay cause I don't get anything. Go back to school you need it.
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 12:58pm - Posted by: Anonymous
Do you knuckleheads stop paying your mortgage in October and resume the week you come down to open "the shore house"???
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 12:51pm - Posted by: Anonymous
Avalon's drunk bus was an idea with merit, right up until the night they arrested the wrong kid. The Animal House ordinance came about decade and a half too late to have the intended effect...now the group rental duplexes are largely gone, the underaged hell raisers that upset the blue hairs so badly have bought their old rental houses from the college days, replaced them with 2.5 million dollar castles are still young enough to know have a good time,have enough money to have some pull around town, and are educated enough to smell small town b.s. where it drops. Ordinance was second in idiocy only to ole Billy Haines trying to sue the Borough over the pipe dream of moving a liquor license to the boardwalk.
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 9:59am - Posted by: Anonymous
As a 40 year resident of SIC I fear that a law suit will cost us taxpayers. I've seen it too ofter with other shore towns we make these rules in town hall, for example Avalon a few years ago remember the party bus that was used to round up drunken party goers, well Avalon or should I say the taxpayers paid out a fortune to settle that lawsuit. The bus was gone the next year! Oh and Avalon again remember when the newly enacted "animal house law" that lead to another big cash settlement to Philly lawyers and their clients. The newly enacted water rate in SIC may be necessary but commonsense tells you you cannot charge people who don't use it.
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 7:53am - Posted by: Anonymous
If you're only going to pay for use, when they shut off service to your vinyl clad sh#t shack in November hopefully they wack you with a $300 to turn it back on in May, and then when a line breaks going to a part timer's house they shouldn't touch it and force Mr. Self Righteous Property Owner to call a private firm and be billed out the rectum for the dig and fix. Can't have it both ways so you should really consider what to wish for here.
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 6:34am - Posted by: Anonymous
Oh, you really got me good with the sic public school comment, must be hitting a nerve. I say again you complain complain complain all the way to the bank but you don't think you should have to be responsible for the construction and maintenance of the water and sewer system. (Typical arrogance) You know what city council, I don't use a lot of streets in Sea Isle, I should not have to pay for them. SICTA is such a destructive organization and its destroying the town. If things are sooooooooooooooo bad, sell your rental investments (they are not homes to you) and buy a second rental investment in Chester, but you won't do that because Sea Isle is making life a lot easier.
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 6:54pm - Posted by: Anonymous
'So I guess the people who live here have to pay for building and upkeep of the water and sewer system" WOW what a shocker, DAH. Maybe Momar Kadafi should pay! What a fool!
Pay your own use idiot.
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 5:46pm - Posted by: Anonymous
Reading some of the negative comments regarding the water and sewer bill,
I am suprised at the poor grammar that is used. I hope they are not graduates of the Sea Isle Grade School.
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 2:16pm - Posted by: Anonymous
What is needed here is a class action lawsuit and from what I understand the one group NRTA would be a good starting point. I believe there is positive case history here, OC MD I recall was doing something very similar to Sea Isle years back and was whipped into shape half way through the trial when the clearly saw they were headed for a massive defeat they came to an agreement with the plaintiffs which included covering all of their legal expenses. The citizens won big here, it cost the town millions. Bottom line, seek out a good Philly law firm who specializes in class action suits and go for it! Stay away from any local NJ firms as they do not have the experience behind them. As the previous writer mentioned you would not let WaWa get away with it, so why let SIC steal from you.
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 1:15pm - Posted by: Anonymous
So I guess the people who live here have to pay for building and upkeep of the water and sewer system and you should only have to pay what come out of your faucet. Whose the fool. lol. typical. Let me make tens of thousands in rent but complain when I have to pay my fair share of taxes. complain complain complain. last time i looked I gotta pay taxes for all kinda things that i dont use, school, paying other's mortgages, tourism, welfare and the rest but not you and all the people who use their houses (the vast majority) for an investment and nothing more. How many of sicta people would have houses down here if they weren't making a killing? Poor poor babies.
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 9:22am - Posted by: Anonymous
When I don't use my electric I don't pay, when I don't use my gas I don't pay, when I don't use my phone I don't pay, when I turn off cable in the off season I don't pay, but when I use NO water or sewer I pay! What is wrong with this picture? The first place we all must register a complaint with is the NJBPU in Trenton. To the 8:14 writer you sound like a fool, let me enlighten you I DO PAY TAXES every quarter. I have no problem paying when I use the service, it's like pulling up to Wawa for a breakfast sandwich going up to the register to pay and find a $40.00 gasoline charge added, and when you protest are told that is policy a $40.00 charge whether you get gas or not. How long would you tolerate that?
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 8:14am - Posted by: Anonymous
If sicta wants it then it MUST be bad for Sea Isle. You dont here them complaining about the millions in rents that the collect every summer but they dont want to pay any taxes. 90% of sicta or as they were originally called the nonresident taxpayers are a bunch of miserable people who have there own home in PA and a 2nd home at the shore, must be nice. They spend next to no time in Sea Isle but complain complain complain. I bet you half of them don't even know where their houses are.
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 8:05am - Posted by: Anonymous
I am appauled at the "willy-nilly" approval of this rate increase...when the SICTA association had the time to do the investigation...and our city administration and Water & Sewer Director was sitting on his hands...my family and I moved here full-time three years ago...and we paid 25% less than we do in SIC...and we had a 3/4 acre with a sprinkler system... for the entire lawn....
I think that this needs to be reviewed...as well as the allocation of our taxes/fees in SIC against what is required and needed to run the city...I also think that "flat-rates" are wrong and illogical....the rates/fees should be based upon usage and volume...if the city is getting "hosed" by the MUA...why pass it along...they should fight back aas well...that is why they are in office and elected...not just to sign blank checks...
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 4:31am - Posted by: Anonymous
The two to blame for this mess are the City Administrator and his boss- who happens to be the biggest beneficiary of the current rate structure. The City has refused to institute a system that could show how employees actually spend their time. Thus it is impossible to tell how the City rips off people by overcharging for beach fees, construction fees, etc.
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 10:32pm - Posted by: Anonymous
This has got to be on the shoulders of Water and Sewer Director Manganaro.
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 5:22pm - Posted by: Anonymous
Everyone should refuse to pay this illegal water & sewer bill. My 4 properties in SIC are closed down from 10/01 till 5/01 the following year, not a single drop of water is used it is shut down completely, yet I am expected to pay this bill quarterly on each of these properties. NO MORE we must band together to halt this unjust charge.
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 4:25pm - Posted by: Anonymous
This has to fall on the shoulders of Water and Sewer Director Manganaro if you ask me.Check out his House to Nowhere at 40th and Central. He was supposed to move into his 'Free House' by Nov.1, 2008. The cost of this is nearing $500,000.00.Yes, that's half a million.