THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 25, 1995 TAG: 9509250106
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
The Suffolk City Council compromised this weekend and informally agreed to cut in half a fee that longtime residents pay to get city water.
The proposed cut could reduce funds for coping with future water emergencies.
``Something is going to have to suffer down the line,'' one city official warned after the compromise was reached Saturday during a two-day retreat at Tidewater Community College's Portsmouth campus.
After some debate, the council informally agreed to cut a special water fee for existing single-family homes from $1,758 to $900, while slightly increasing the fee for hookups to new homes.
After the recommended fee cut, the owne of an existing single-family home will pay $1,630 to get city water. By comparison, new residents will have to pay $4,245 for a single-family home.
Initially, council members wanted to abolish the fee, arguing that new development should subsidize the cost of running water lines to existing homes.
``If I've been paying for 35 years,'' asked Councilman Richard R. Harris, ``why should I pay more?''
Some of the council members who favor reduced fees for longtime residents are up for election next year, including Harris, who first suggested that the fee be eliminated.
The weekend retreat was held to discuss future capital and utility projects. The proposed fees may be put to a vote at the council's Oct. 4 meeting.
Suffolk has been experiencing a huge increase in development over the past two years. In 1994, the city set a record for issuing building permits. That record is expected to be eclipsed this year.
The city has been slow to bring water lines to existing homeowners, having hooked up fewer than 50 homes in the past five years.
Officials didn't think about extending water lines to large portions of the city until last year when Suffolk got permission from the state to dig two new wells in the northeast area. The council was warned that cutting the fee would result in cuts elsewhere.
The city had calculated the fee to cover cost only.
``If this (fund) goes down,'' said City Manager Myles E. Standish, ``we're going to have to make it up somewhere else.''
KEYWORDS: SUFFOLK WATER by CNB