By Kevin J. Sabo
For the Advance
Town of Castor council has passed the first reading of an amendment to Bylaw-1071, the Utility Bylaw.
Once passed, the amendment will increase rates slightly for Town-supplied services such as garbage removal and sewer services.
The sewer rate for residents in town will be raising from $25 to $30 a month on the Town utility bills, while garbage removal for residential properties will increase from $18 to $23 a month.
Commercial properties which use the Town’s garbage service will be seeing an increase from $71 a month to $100 a month.
“This would give you full cost accounting, it would zero the department,” said Chief Administrative Officer Christopher Robblee.
At the current rates, the Town-operated garbage removal service currently operates at a loss, and the fee increases are seen by council as a way to get things to break even.
“Nobody likes a rate increase. I know that,” said Mayor Richard Elhard.
“But we can’t operate at a loss either.”
Now that the first reading of the bylaw amendment has been passed by council, the Town needs to publicly advertise it and allow the opportunity for resident feedback.
It is expected that the final readings of the bylaw amendment will be passed sometime in December, and that the rate increases would take effect beginning in the New Year.
Town of Castor council has decided to move the meetings to the community hall for the month of December to allow for public in-person participation.
The meeting dates are the second and fourth Mondays of the month at 7 p.m.