Fairgrounds operator tells Scottsburg City council water minimums strain event budget

A resident representing the Scottsburg Fairgrounds told the Scottsburg City Council on Oct. 11 that fixed minimum water and sewer charges — including a standpipe fee and large minimums tied to two-inch meters — are imposing repeated costs on the fairgrounds and its vendors.

The comment matters because the council is scheduled to consider an ordinance reading on water rates; the fairgrounds operator asked the city to consider the practical effects of minimum charges on seasonal users. “We spend over $15,000 a year on utilities,” the resident said, adding that a large meter was turned on six days before a billing cycle and the resulting bill was “shade over $400.”

The resident described three separate meters serving the fairgrounds: a two-inch meter in front that includes sewer, a two-inch meter in the back that supplies a standpipe for filling water trucks and does not include sewer, and a three-quarter-inch meter that serves the groundskeeper’s trailer and the saddle club. The resident said the standpipe is left off most of the year because the $3.50 monthly minimum (as described in the comment) is unaffordable when not in use; the back meter is turned on only for events and then shut off by calling the city. The smaller meter carries a roughly $40 monthly minimum, which the resident said is “perfectly okay.”

Council members and staff asked clarifying questions about meter sizes and billing timing. A meeting official or staff member invited the resident to attend the Water Board meeting (held the second and fourth Wednesdays at 4 p.m.) and suggested the resident request an agenda slot so the board can review meter- and minimum-charge issues. “We’d be more than happy to talk to you about something to help you out,” the staff member said.

There was no formal action recorded on the council floor about changing rates; the exchange occurred during public comment and the city representative directed the commenter to the Water Board for more detailed review. The resident said the fairgrounds typically calls the city the Monday after an event to have the back meter turned off and emphasized the financial burden of paying year-round minimums for infrastructure that is rarely used.

The council did not take a vote on an ordinance during the public comment exchange; council/staff indicated the water board should review operational impacts and provide a recommendation before council action.