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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels July 23, 2004 Utility hikes hit this month By Steve Zimmerman Ashland Daily Tidings Utility rate increases have hit during the July billing cycle, a fact not lost on local residents opening their latest bills. For water customers, this is the third year of 5-percent increases. For sewer customers, the increase is the first in several years. "[The increase] was something we projected when we did all the work down at the water treatment plant," Public Works Director Paula Brown said. Brown expects the sewer rates to increase again next year. The water increases were projected about four years ago, according to Brown. "Hopefully this is the last of those increases," she said. "It depends on the long-term. Our finance director Lee Tuneberg was able to get really good bond rates so this might be the last increase for a while." Brown said projects in the city public works department are paid for by fees and system-development charges. The fees are used for repair or maintenance and are paid for by all residents. New residents pay impact fees for the additional use of the system. Brown said the fees paid by city residents are somewhat in line with other like size cities. "Our water rates are higher," she said. "That is normal because we are a small utility that pays for its own system and is self-contained. "Our wastewater is similar to other cities. In fact, it is lower than most small cities that have had to do their improvements based on the Department of Environmental Quality and all their requirements." Electric rates are also on the rise in the city, according to Dick Wanderscheid, director of Ashland's electric department. "The rates took effect in the middle of July," he said. "We have nine billing cycles and they were effective July 1." The cost of power for Bonneville Power, from Portland, is what drives Ashland's electric rates. This year, the increase was six percent. Wanderscheid said he hopes increases over the next couple of years can be held to only adjustment for inflation. "Unfortunately," Wanderscheid said, "over the past few years we have had to increase our rates because of the energy crisis that caused Bonneville's cost to go up which they passed on to us." Wanderscheid said the anticipated cost of power in this fiscal year will be $400,000 higher that they were the year before. "Couple that with increasing PERS costs, the health care cost and the cost of living increases the unions negotiate, our increase was necessary." One way that the city hopes to keep down electric costs is the pilot power program the city has undertaken. The two-year pilot program, "Smart Home Technology," will be installed in 100 Ashland area homes. It will allow the local utility to use its existing fiber-optic broadband network to communicate with the home to monitor, and when appropriate, reduce the electric demand of selected appliances. Wanderscheid said there is still space available in the program for those interested in taking part. Anyone interested in participating should visit the city's Web site and look up Power Shift to find the sign-up page. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams