Rates of various services will be going up in the town of Signal Mountain after the increases were approved by the town council Monday night. The amended water rates will begin Sept. 1. So that residents are aware, Water Utility Director Matt Justice will send an email to customers showing how they will be affected using bar graphs and tables. He told the council that 50 percent of the infrastructure is over 50 years old and the extra money collected will be used for repairs, replacements and maintenance of the system.
A new fee schedule that increased some numbers by 25 percent was also adopted on the first of two readings. Those that will be immediately implemented include increases in tap fees going from $50 to $65, and a new construction multiplier for each new permit that is issued.
Loretta Hopper, public works director, has started updating fees related to public works. There will be a change in the fee for a non-resident using the transfer station, and a continuation of the practice that does not allow contractors to dispose of materials there. Ms. Hopper was asked to put numbers together to see what the city is receiving in fees to take in the trash and what it is paying to have it hauled away to make sure costs are covered.
Solid waste fees are also being reviewed. An additional charge will be determined for residents and businesses that have a second garbage can. The amount of increases will not be known until another method of paying for the garbage service is discussed. An enterprise fund established for solid waste is being considered. That could be billed to residents by including it on individual tax bills.
Director of the WWTA Mike Patrick was at the council meeting to answer questions about the plans being developed for a new sewer system that is needed in Signal Mountain. That plan will include building two sewer pump stations in Green Gorge Park and putting grinder pumps at some individual houses. The first questions from citizens who are mostly opposed was if there is a “next best option,” and if adding grinder pumps to more homes than have already been proposed could be a solution to prevent the need for the pump stations. Mr. Patrick said that option has not been looked at and he does not know if it would be a viable option.
He told the council that the pump stations would have a smaller footprint than the ones, typically 50x50 feet, that WWTA uses, because they will be going into existing neighborhoods, not in a new subdivision as it is being built. And he said that he has been looking at different types of pump station than the existing ones in WWTA’s systems. A suggestion was made for using paths where EPB has already cleared trees to locate the driveways leading to the stations inside the park.
The council members said that citizens are bringing questions to them and to the town’s staff. Mr. Patrick was asked to improve communication with the residents of Signal Mountain that will be impacted most by the new system. Some of the information is unknown at this time, he replied, and he would rather have more information before meeting with them.
Mr. Patrick plans to send letters to homeowners that will need to have grinder pumps when more is known. And Councilman Andrew Gardner suggested using the town’s website to get information out, but he said the WWTA would have to make a statement first.
At the last council meeting the council discussed conditions they might require before giving easements to build the structures on town property; no decisions were made that can be given to WWTA. Mayor Charles Poss said they could only show Mr. Patrick what they talked about at the last meeting. Included in the talks was that the pump stations would only be for residents inside the town limits.
Councilman Clay Crumbliss said he had visited several existing pump stations around the area that are maintained by WWTA and that they were clean, not noisy and had no smell. Neighbors living around them told him that they have very few problems and, if there is one, they are serviced quickly.
Stewart Williams, representing the citizen advisory committee on recycling, updated the council on work that has been done over the last six months. He said after doing research, the committee is recommending to remove plastics #3 through #7 from single stream recycling and only accept #1 and #2. That is because when West Rock separates the materials, they take everything to the landfill except #1 and #2, because there is no market for the rest. After they have been removed, he said #5 is the majority of what is left. The recycling board is recommending for the city to put a separate bin to collect it and will research a use and find customers who may buy it. Another program that accepts more plastics is the Hefty Orange Bag program, which is under consideration.
The committee wants to increase and improve cardboard recycling because that is the only material that makes money. Schools and businesses in Signal Mountain will be encouraged to bring their cardboard to the recycling center where it is sold for $15 per ton. If it is taken to the transfer station, it costs the town $58 per ton to send it to the landfill. He said the contract with West Rock will be reviewed to make sure the town is being paid what it should be for the materials. And there will be an effort to get the community to reduce the amount of materials that need to be recycled.
Police Chief Mike Williams was congratulated for a very good report from MTAS for the police department. It concluded that the department is one person short, but the officers work together to do what needs to be done. There was a recommendation to increase the size of the physical space used by the police. That new space will be included in a five-year capital plan. “The great report is indicative of the leadership,” said Councilman Crumbliss.
A plan is being created to merge the boards of parks and recreation departments. Councilman Gardner, who is leading the effort, said the new combined board will have an advisory capacity to the town council. Plans are to have seven members and they will all be residents of the town of Signal Mountain.