Bonne Terre Council approves budget

BONNE TERRE – The Bonne Terre City Council unanimously approved their fiscal year 2013 budget during a five-minute meeting Monday night.

After the meeting, Mayor Ed Hottle said it was a no-frills budget.

There were minimal capital expenditures – the most expensive being restrooms at the soccer fields at an estimated expense of $12,000. Bonne Terre’s Good Earth soccer season began in September on new soccer fields which are next to the baseball park.

Many estimated expenses and revenues stayed the same as the year before. The budget does include a 3 percent raise for all employees.

Councilman Shawn Kay asked Barton what two of the three COP expenses were in the sewer budget. Barton explained those were from approximately $3.5 million projects at the northwest and northeast wastewater treatment plants.

Kay also asked if the proposed water and sewer rate increases were in the budget. Barton said no.

At the regular council meeting, Barton recommended a 5.5 percent increase on sewer rates per year over the next 10 years and a 10 percent increase on water rates per year over the next three years due to ongoing costs of maintenance, and state and federal mandates and keeping up with their debt service.

He said Carl Brown Consulting had conducted a sewer rate analysis in 2006 and these were rates he had proposed. Barton indicated the city is behind on keeping up with those proposed rates.

City officials recognized the rate increase wouldn’t begin to address the radionuclide problem. They are still trying to figure out how they will be able to afford any state mandates associated with the city’s radionuclide issues.

Councilman Harold Morgan was absent from the meeting.

Teresa Ressel is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 179 or at tressel@dailyjournalonline.com.