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Tekoa council hears residents' concerns over proposed sewer rate hike, outlines outreach plan
Summary
Council discussed a proposed sewer rate increase and directed staff to pursue public outreach measures including bill notices, monthly reserve disclosures and a sewer fact sheet; no formal rate vote is recorded in the minutes.
Councilmember Shelly Ausmus told the City Council she had "heard from people about the rates we are proposing" and urged the council to improve public information before moving forward with a resolution to increase sewer rates.
Ausmus proposed a three‑prong outreach plan to accompany any rate change: 1) put an indication on utility bills that a portion of payments goes into a sewer reserve, 2) publish the size of the sewer reserve on monthly bills or in the city newsletter, and 3) create a sewer "fact sheet" that records the project's history and updates. She also suggested inviting Kim Prissock, Matt Morkert and the Riverkeeper to the council to provide information and answer questions.
The discussion focused on improving transparency and giving residents context for any future rate change; the minutes record no formal vote on a rate increase at this meeting. The council did not adopt a final decision or set a public hearing date in the transcript.
