Council discusses utilities

At their monthly meeting Monday night, the Whitehall Town Council approved a 1.5 percent late fee on utility bills.

The rate recommendation was made by the Water, Sewer and Garbage Committee, and will be charged after are account are 60 days past due. The percentage is not to max 18 percent per year.

In her report to the Council, Town Clerk/Treasurer Summer Fellows said there had been a human error made on a utility bill, and publicly apologized for the mistake.

“When you are putting stuff into a computer it happens, when we are transposing numbers,” said Fellows.

Fellows stated when the new meter reading system is in place, there would be a lot less human error. Fellows added there will however probably be some kinks to work through.

Fellows said she wanted to briefly touch on the sewer bills. Fellows said in the wintertime residents are charged for what they actually use, and in the summer time they are pro-rated from their winter usage.

“It’s an ordinance and in the past it has been put on the utility bill, and I didn’t put it on the bill, because quite frankly, it didn’t dawn on me. That’s my fault,” Fellows said.

Mayor Dale Davis said that is why the sewer rates have increased since October and it has been that way since the lagoon was put in.

Davis said the new electronic meter reading system will solve a lot of problems because the town will be able to pull the reading up on a computer screen and can see daily usage.

“We can print it out and hand it to that individual,” Davis said.

The Mayor added there was only one company that bid on the water meters after re-advertising the bids.

“They weren’t bidding apples and apples, they were bidding apples and oranges,” Davis said about the first bids.

The lone bid was from Northwest Pipe for $112,199.85. Another $5,000 will be added to that to make the loan request about $150,000 with installation Davis said.

Public Works Director Kory Klapan said there were two bids for installation, Davies Contracting and Jeffery Contracting out of Butte. Jeffrey was awarded the bid for installation of the meters. Northwest Pipe was awarded the bid for the meters. Klapan said the meters would be out six weeks from the time the order is placed.

The Trees, Parks, and Cemetery Board gave an update on the potential increase of cemetery fees. Alderman Gerry Keogh asked for Klapan to comment on the issue since he is directly involved with the extra cost of weekend work and those sort of things.

Klapan stated he doesn’t think it is something that the town needs to make money off, but needs to cover the expenses. The proposed increase would be for cremation burials the fee of $125 for weekday burials, and $150 for the weekend and holidays. For casket burials, the proposed fee is $250 on the weekdays and $300 for weekends and holidays.

“Currently cremation is $75 and casket burials is $200, and that doesn’t count the perpetual care that is on top of it,” Fellows said.

The town will make a resolution to increase the fees at next month’s meeting.

Davis updated the public on the review of bids submitted in response for proposals for engineering services related to DEQ water issues. Davis said last Thursday night himself, Council member Gary Housman, and Klapan met with KLG and NCI engineering firms. Housman suggested waiting on the test results from the samples sent off to a lab in Wisconsin about three weeks ago. Housman feels it might make a lot of difference and the Council expects to have those back in a week, at the most two weeks. The item was tabled until next month’s meeting so the town can review those results.

Klapan said he discussed with the Water, Sewer and Garbage Committee making the commercial 300 gallon dumpsters a flat fee of $45 dollars per dumpster for three dumps a week to be charged monthly. Klapan said the way it is set up now, with some only being dumped once a week, and some three times a week, it is very confusing to know which business is paying for more than one dump a week and which ones are once a week. Klapan said even at $45 per can, the Town of Whitehall is considerably cheaper than other towns, almost crazy cheap. The Council voted unanimously to make the increase into a resolution.

During discussion about holiday decorations, The Council decided the Public Works Department and the Whitehall Chamber of Commerce will be working together to get the decorations fixed up and lights hung up for the holidays and Christmas Stroll. Chamber member Don Chlebeck and Klapan mutually agreed to collaborate to make the town look good for the holidays.

After an Executive session discussing legal options with respect to the ambulance service, Council member Mac Smith made a motion for Council to direct Town Attorney Ed Guza to request from Jefferson County, in regards to the referendum for the creation of the proposed ambulance district, to see if there is a possibility if the town could be a part of that process, or if it’s necessary to file an action to enjoin the referendum. Smith asked if so, that Mayor Davis set a special meeting to discuss that immediately there upon. The motion was passed unanimously by Council.