Sewage rates increased, reluctantly

Havre City Council Tuesday, almost apologetically, approved a 40 percent increase in sewer rates.

The money will go toward funding a $9.6 million addition to the city’s wastewater treatment facility in North Havre. The improvements were mandated by Montana Department of Environmental Quality and federal officials.

Ward 4 Council Member Andrew Brekke said although only one person spoke at a public hearing, he had heard comments from several constituents.

“This is something we don’t take lightly,” he said.

“I feel their pain,” he said. “But this won’t be the last increase.”

Meeting the state and federal mandates will be “tremendously expensive,” he said, and the cost will be on Havre taxpayers.

“I hate to do this, but it’s something that’s got to be done,” said Ward 1 Council Member Terry Lilletvedt.

She said she had heard from constituents that the city should have increased rates slowly over the years in anticipation of the construction, but she didn’t think the city should be increasing rates before the money is needed.

Deputy Public Works Director Jeff Jensen said DEQ informed the city of the need for the massive repairs last year. If the city doesn’t comply, it could face fines of $10,000 a day for emitting pollutants into the Milk River.

Council unanimously, though reluctantly, voted for the increase. Council members then voted unanimously to approve a 20-year, $10.9 million bond to pay for the upgrade.

The city will pay $600,000 a year on the bond, said Doug Kaercher, the city’s finance director.

“That’s where this increase will go,” said Council Member Allen “Woody” Woodwick. “It will all go to pay off the bond, every cent of it.”

Later in the meeting, council approved the first payment for the facility, $182,000 to Dick Anderson Construction Co. of Great Falls.

The first payment was “not very big,” said Michelle Turville of Bear Paw Development Corp., which is handling the finances for the project.

“Not very big?” said Council Member Pam Hillery.

“You’ll be paying a lot bigger,” Turville warned.