Rosston water system loses money in 2017

ROSSTON – Members of the Rosston City Council, at its May meeting, found out why an increase was needed in water rates.

The city received its audit back from Turner, Rodgers, Manning and Plyler, and learned the city’s water department lost $68,712 in 2017. However, Lewis Jackson, Rosston mayor, said the accountants told him this wasn’t a problem because of the construction and is acceptable. He added, this shortfall could be made up with the rate increase revenues. Otherwise, he said, it was a good audit.

The council, in a bit of the bizarre, voted to close non-existent streets to provide a right-of-way for a proposed Dollar General Store. Jackson said when the town of Rosston was initially laid out, the map included streets and alleys as the founders planned for growth. The growth, though, didn’t happen and the streets and alleys on the map weren’t built, yet they remain on the map. Most of the streets are on private property and few are marked. Still, to comply with the request of Dollar General’s corporate offices, the fictional streets were closed, with a  resolution passed to that effect.
The final order of business for the council was to approve an ordinance amending the 1983 water ordinance and raise the water rates. Under the ordinance, customers will be charged $6.05 for each 1,000 gallons of water used on top of a flat monthly rate of $23.58.

Any new customer, or existing customer who adds a new meter who is charged the actual cost for the tapping fee and new meter installation costs will be allowed to defer payments if they are unable to pay the entire cost at the time of installation. The customer can submit a written application for the deferment and, if approved, would have a year from the date of installation to pay the fees involved.

Jackson told the council the city would be mailing letters to those customers who are double connected, letting them know about the deferral plans. He said they will have six months to hook up to the city’s system and a year to pay for the meter. They must come by city hall and sign an affidavit so a copy can be made for them and the city.

Anyone who gets a letter and can verify they aren’t double connected needs to go by city hall and sign an affidavit so stating.