Algonac council raises water and sewer rates

By Barb Pert Templeton

A trio of meetings on May 20 had the Algonac City Council not only hosting their regular bi-monthly meeting but two additional special budget meetings to decide on new water and sewer rates.

In the end, in a 6-1 vote, a majority of the council voted in favor of a 20% increase to water and 50% increase in sewer rates which will amount to $33 more a month for residents in the city. Councilman Jake Skarbek voted against the plan.

The first special budget meeting lasted 57 minutes and included a lengthy presentation by Water and Sewer Superintendent Josh Stewart. When officials couldn’t agree to vote on the rate increases the council concluded the session and hosted its regular meeting at 6 p.m.

They convened a second special budget meeting just before 7 p.m. and it lasted about 15 minutes and the decision to increase the rates was completed.

During the regular city council meeting officials discussed the need to raise the water and sewer rates mostly due to a very aging infrastructure.

During council comments Councilman Michael Bembas began by saying ‘what an interesting couple of meetings’ and noted that he appreciates all the comments and concerns that have been expressed by residents of late.

“It’s frustrating and I know the people out there are frustrated I think you can tell how frustrated we are that we have to raise rates but we have to determine what we want to be as a city,” Bembas said. “Do we want to be the dying city that dies a very slow death and barely keep ourselves alive or do we want to be a vibrate growing city that keeps moving in the forward direction?”

He said there are so many good things going on in the city from the community center to the pool and even with the fire department. Before the millage approval last year, the fire department almost had to align with Clay Township’s department but since the millage passed “it’s going to stay independent forever,” Bembas said.

He also noted that property values have to be looked at too and when those go up it’s an investment in the future and even people’s retirements.

“If we’re going to be a topnotch city that attracts young families to support our school system and the few businesses, we have to have a Class A Number One infrastructure, we can’t kick this down the road,” Bembas said. “It’s time to pay the piper or we can just die that slow death.”

“Everybody needs to consider that the decisions we make are not being made out of popularity or making it to win accolades, we want to do the right thing for the right reasons,” Bembas added.

Councilman Ed Carter said he echoed Bembas’ thoughts on the issue and that he also agreed that the issue can no longer be just kicked down the road.

“We don’t take it lightly and with everything we can we are going to make sure we make the best decisions that we can,” Carter said.

Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey took time during her council comments to remind people that any decisions made by the council also affects them, the officials, as they live in the city too and therefore feel the financial hits as well.

“This isn’t we’re out to get the residents of the city, whatever we decide to do with the rates I can tell you I’m going to walk in the door to my house and my husband’s going to bust my chops,” Davey said. “It’s a shame that we are in the situation, we should not be, but we don’t have a choice we’ve got to do something.”

She went on to state that she doesn’t want to do the increase and wouldn’t even raise it $10 if it wasn’t necessary. In addition, if the situation isn’t addressed now, Davey said a council five years down the road will be saying look what they did and it’s going to be 50% more expensive by then.

“I’m not saying this to get people in the community to say ‘that’s okay Dawn we know you’re doing what you need to do’ we are between a rock and a hard place and it sucks,” Davey said.

Councilwoman Cathy Harris said the issue has been worked on heavily over the last few months and has been well thought out.

“We don’t sit up here willy nilly and indiscriminately raise rates because it’s just so much fun to do,” Harris added.

Councilwoman Wendy Meldrum said she realizes they can’t keep kicking the can down the road and though it’s hard a decision it has to be made.

“I’m just disappointed of why we are here right now because of the lack of knowledge,” Meldrum said. “It’s just a shame, really and it’s going to affect all of us. I think we should move forward with what’s been recommended from our administration so we can get these things rolling.”

Mayor Rocky Gillis said he wants everybody to realize that the budget meetings are the hardest ones they’ve ever been in. He said he and Councilman Jake Skarbek went out after the last meeting and they were saying how hard it was going to be to tell their moms that the water rates were increasing.

“You know how scary that is?” Gillis joked.

“How about this, I’ll tell your mom if you tell my husband,” Meldrum said.

“Perfect. We’re all living this together,” Gillis said. “And we may be snapping at each other or getting short but it’s because we are all really passionate about making a hard decision.”

He said they all come from different back grounds including financially and different age groups and it “just sucks” but “they have to do something.”

The city council plans to adopt the 2025-2026 budget in June.