Hopkinsville City Council approved rate increases for the Hopkinsville Water Environment Authority at Tuesday’s meeting and established the non-partisan elections commission.
The rate increases will result in about an additional two dollars on the bill of the average customer, three dollars for customers in Pembroke, and will be used to fund an expansion and renovation project at the Hammond-Wood Wastewater Treatment Plant in Hopkinsville. The project as a whole would be around $45 million and the rate increases would begin in 2022. Council member Chuck Crabtree, who was the lone ‘no’ vote on the measure, says he couldn’t support the rate increase due to several factors.
Councilman Tom Johnson says HWEA is one of the best performing and high-quality water treatment agencies in the state, and even with the rate increase, residents will still have rates that are lower than most of the region.
HWEA President and CEO Derrick Watson says a rate study was done by HDR out of Louisville and they determined the recommended increase, which will help pay the indebtedness on the loan they will be applying for.
The ordinance passed nine-to-one on first reading, and will need to be read and approved a second time. In other action, council approved creation of the Non-Partisan Elections Citizens Committee, charging them to both learn about and educate the public on non-partisan election versus partisans ones, articulate the advantages and disadvantages of both, determine if the change would disproportionately affect minority communities and more.
A list of potential citizen committee members would be brought before council at the next meeting.