Second Water, Sewer Rate Increases Get Initial OK

An amended version of the proposed increases that would build reserve funds over five years rather than three, while addressing the sewer deficit, received a recommendation from the aldermen's Appropriations Committee.

After another lengthy meeting filled with strident voices from both residents and city officials, and with an amended proposal to soften the impact this coming year, a second round of increased water and sewer rates received an initial OK from the Melrose Board of Aldermen on Monday night. City officials proposed the second round of rate increases—which still require a final vote of the full board—after the first set of increases were approved in June, to address a $158,771 deficit caused by lower than projected consumption in the sewer budget at the close of the fiscal 2012 year, which ended on June 30. Officials also sought to implement a three-year plan to save 10 percent of both the water and sewer budgets in reserve accounts to …

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Steve Meuse

9:46 am on Monday, July 30, 2012

The ones at the common are on almost every morning around 7, rain or shine.   more ›

Residents Speak Out On Proposed Water and Sewer Rate Hikes

The aldermen held a public hearing Monday night on the second rate hikes proposed within the past month.

Several residents chided the city last night about its financial planning and proposal to further increase the water and sewer rates to build reserve funds over the next three years. The Melrose Board of Aldermen held a public hearing Monday on the proposed rate increases, which are on top of increases already approved last month by the aldermen. A $158,771 deficit in the fiscal 2012 sewer enterprise fund would get backfilled by the increased sewer rate, and both increased rates would bring in revenue that the city would place in savings accounts to mitigate any future deficits or increased assessments from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). The new proposal would increase the residential water rate to $5.85, which on top …

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Water, Sewer Rates Could Go Up Again

A deficit in the city's sewer budget, combined with a desire to start saving more to account for potential deficits, means City Hall is proposing to further increase the water and sewer rates for this coming year.

Water and sewer rates for the coming year already approved by the Melrose Board of Aldermen could go higher, as the city aims to address a year-end deficit in the sewer budget and start a three-year savings plan for both the water and sewer budgets. The new proposal would increase the residential water rate to $5.85, which on top of the previously approved rate increase would result in a 11.43 percent increase over this past year's rate, according to a letter from Department of Public Works Director John Scenna to city officials (PDF attached). The commercial water rate would increase to $7.20, an 11.68 percent increase (again accounting for the already approved increases), and the combined sewer rate would increase to $10.02, a 7.17 …

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Water and Sewer Rate Hikes Approved

The average Melrose homeowner will see a $42.50 increase in their water and sewer bill.

Proposed increases in Melrose's water and sewer rates, driven by lower consumption and Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) assessments according to city officials, received unanimous final approval from the Board of Aldermen on Monday night. As a result, the average Melrose homeowner will see a $42.50 increase in their water and sewer bill next year, a 4.6 percent bump over the current average bill. The rates as approved are: City officials repeated Monday night what's been said before the Appropriations Committee and when the rates first went before the board two weeks ago—that the rates are largely driven by increased assessments from the MWRA and consumption being down across the MWRA system, which lowers revenue. The MWRA …

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Proposed $42 Increase in Average Home Water and Sewer Bills

The presentation given to the aldermen's Appropriations Committee on Thursday night regarding the proposed water and sewer rates for next year.

The average Melrose homeowner, based on average water and sewer use, would see a $42.50 increase in their water and sewer bill next year, under proposed rates currently before the Melrose Board of Aldermen. That increase, a 4.6 percent bump over the current average bill, results from the proposed water and sewer rates for next year that were presented to the aldermen on Monday night at a public hearing. The public hearing will reconvene on Monday, June 18. Below is the memo/presentation by John Scenna, Department of Public Works assistant superintendent and incoming director, given to the aldermen at Thursday night's Appropriations Committee meeting. Editor's note: A Melrose Patch reporter was not present at Thursday's Appropriations …

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Five Things You Need to Know Today

5 Things You Need To Know Today—Thursday, June 7

Water and sewer rate hikes; Lloyd Memorial Pool open date; Mt. Hood requests for proposals.

Share your news and expertise by blogging on Melrose Patch! 1) Thunder on the mountain, and there's fires on the moon: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. Calm wind becoming east between 5 and 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. Tonight, a slight chance of showers before 10 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Southeast wind at 7 mph becoming west. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent. (Forecast by the National Weather Service.) 2) There are these two young fish swimming along, and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, "Morning, boys, how's the water?" And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then …

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Proposed 7.6 Percent Water Rate Hike On The Table

Also before the aldermen for fiscal 2013: a 7.75 percent commercial water rate increase and a 2.67 percent increase for the combined residential and commercial sewer rate.

The Melrose residential water rate would increase by 40 cents to $5.65 next year under the proposal currently before the Board of Aldermen. The aldermen opened a public hearing Monday night on the proposed water and sewer rates for next year, but recessed the public hearing until Monday, June 18 due to the absence of Patrick Dello Russo, chief financial officer and city auditor, who was away at a conference. In the meantime, next year's proposed rates—the final piece of the city's fiscal 2013 budget puzzle—will go before the aldermen's Appropriations Committee on Thursday this week for discussion, and incoming Department of Public Works Director John Scenna provided the aldermen with a brief overview of the proposed rates. Along with the …

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Aldermen Pass $65.3M City Budget For Next Year

Melrose's fiscal 2013 city budget passed unanimously at Monday night's Board of Aldermen meeting.

The Melrose Board of Aldermen approved a $65.3 million operating city budget for the coming fiscal year at Monday night's meeting. The only change from Mayor Rob Dolan's initial proposal is a $25,000 cut in the city's unemployment line item, reducing that from $167,000 to $142,000. In a tight budget last year, the aldermen approved a $62.9 million operating budget without any cuts or additions to Dolan's original proposed. In past years, the aldermen have chipped away at Mayor Rob Dolan's proposed budget, cutting a few thousand dollars from various line items and sometimes reallocating those funds towards other needs identified by city and school officials. For instance, two years ago the board reallocated $35,000 mainly for elementary …

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Five Things You Need to Know Today

5 Things You Need To Know Today—Thursday, May 10

Fiscal 2013 budget public hearing; Mother's Day brunch for seniors; Global Education in Melrose award ceremony.

Get Melrose Patch each morning in your inbox with our daily newsletter! 1) I'm a Little Black Rain Cloud, of course: Showers, mainly before 11 a.m. Patchy fog before 9 a.m. High near 69. Northwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. Tonight, a chance of showers, mainly before 10 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. West wind around 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. (Forecast by the National Weather Service.) 2) Ca-ching: The aldermen's Appropriations Committee meets tonight at 7:30 p.m., starting with the public hearing on next year's budget. Then budget deliberations will continue, including the Melrose …

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