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Council tables sewer-rate ordinance after public outcry over flooding and equity concerns
Summary
During a public hearing on proposed sewer-rate increases tied to a Midwest Industrial Park expansion, multiple residents described chronic flooding and questioned whether rate hikes should precede repairs; the council voted to table Ordinance 35‑20‑25 to allow further investigation.
The Richmond Common Council held a public hearing on Ordinance 35‑20‑25, a proposed amendment affecting sewer rates to fund sewer work tied to expansion at the Midwest Industrial Park, and voted on Sept. 2 to table the ordinance for further investigation.
City staff described the sewer project timeline and financial background. Pat Smoker (Sanitary/utility staff) and others explained that the Midwest Industrial Park expansion requires additional sewer capacity and that the current proposal would increase rates (an across-the-board 6% treatment and base-rate increase proposed for multiple years, with a smaller stormwater percentage noted separately). Staff said industrial and commercial users make up roughly 70% of sanitary system usage and that bond-coverage requirements limited…
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