Water rates going up in Rosston, budget discussed

ROSSTON – It’s budget time for the Rosston City Council.

In the council’s November meeting Wednesday night, Rosston Mayor Dale Quarles said he’s been looking at the 2018 budget and made changes because, after looking at the numbers, things didn’t look like they matched.

He told the council he used his worksheet instead. He added there’s been increases in the city’s revenues up to $187,000, mostly because of people paying their water bill. As to the city’s assets, last year, he said, they were at $218,000 and are currently at $267,000 with the goal to get them over $300,000. He said the 2020 budget will contain a Christmas bonus

On the topic of water bills, customers of the Rosston Rural Water system will be seeing an increase in their bills as the city will be increasing the rate to $6.75 per 1,000 gallons. This is being done because of the condition the city’s water system is in. Quarles said the city faces fines if the situation isn’t corrected.

Rosston has applied for, and been approved, a 50-50 matching grant through the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission for $544,000. Rosston will have to come up with its portion, $274,000, to upgrade the water system.

In other business, the council approved the annual 5 mill tax on real and personal property . This is not a new tax, but one that’s rolled over each year.

The panel was told it needs to look into a good audio system for the city as the Arkansas Legislature passed a law requiring cities to record their meetings. Quarles said he likes the Martel turnkey portable system because it can record to both USB drives and compact discs simultaneously. The cost of this system is $1,600. No action was taken as he suggested the council look at other systems, adding they need to be durable, and discuss it at the December meeting.

Councilman Johnny Kelley brought up the subject of a grant to finish a road. Quarles said he didn’t want to discuss this during the meeting.