In response to complaints about utility rates from Newton residents, Commissioner Barth Hague said he instructed city management to put together a community forum to hear from residents about the issue.
Recently, residents have vented on social media about the high prices of utility rates, prompted by a graph released by the City of El Dorado showing Newton to have the highest rates in the area, as well as plans that would increase utility rates to pay for things like bulky item pick up or tree trimming.
“It’s quite possible, based on what transpired on Facebook, no one will come to the event,” Hague said at Tuesday night’s commission meeting. “But, I think it behooves us to have some discussion with the public about their ideas and the perception of why their rates are so high.”
Mayor Kathy Valentine said she didn’t have any problem with Hague’s idea, but also thought information explaining what utility rates are used to fund should go out with water bills.
For 2019, according to city numbers, the city budgeted transferring $3.55 million or 24 percent of projected utility revenues to its general fund.Myers explained in a response from the city for why transfers are necessary that they offset property tax increases and make sure non-profit entities pay their fair share for services.
Valentine said, then, residents would be in charge for reading it for themselves and couldn’t say the city wasn’t informing its citizens.
(Read more: Newton Now)