PRE-ADOPTION PUBLIC NOTICE OF PROPOSED
INCREASE OF SEWERAGE RATES AND CHARGES
The Village of Bethlehem, a municipal corporation, does hereby give Public Notice that it will consider for adoption, pursuant to WV Code 8-11-4, WV Code 8-13-13, and WV Code 16-13-16, An Ordinance of the Council of the Village of Bethlehem Adopting Increased Rates and Charges for the Sewer Utility Service Provided for the Village of Bethlehem and Setting an Effective Date for Such Rates, the purpose of which Ordinance is to increase the rates and charges for the sewer utility service provided by the Village of Bethlehem, which Ordinance provides as follows:
“NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF
THE VILLAGE OF BETHLEHEM:
Section 1: The rates and charges established by the Village of Bethlehem by Ordinance adopted and approved September 4, 2012, and approved by Order of the Public Service Commission of the State of West Virginia, are hereby repealed, effective as provided in Section 4. hereinafter, and shall thereafter be as follows:
Section 2: That there shall be and there is hereby established a schedule of monthly rates or charges for the use and services of the portion of the combined waterworks and sewerage system furnishing sewer and sewerage services as follows:
MONTHLY SEWERAGE RATES
0 – 3,000 gallons per month at $11.32 per 1,000 gallons
3001 – 6,000 gallons per month at $9.46 per 1,000 gallons
6001 – 10,000 gallons per month at $8.41 per 1,000 gallons
10,001 – 100,000 gallons per month at $5.24 per 1,000 gallons
Over – 100,000 gallons per month at $4.19 per 1,000 gallons
MINIMUM CHARGE
No Bill will be rendered for less than Thirty-three Dollars and Ninety-six Cents ($33.96) per month.
DELAYED PAYMENT PENALTY
The above schedule is net. On all accounts not paid in full when due, ten percent (10%) will be added to the net current amount unpaid. This delayed payment penalty is not interest and is to be collected only once for each bill where it is appropriate.
SERVICE CONNECTION FEE
A service connection fee (Sewer Tap Fee) in the amount of Three Hundred Fifty Dollars ($350.00) shall be charged for all new sewer connection installations.
FEE FOR THE DISCONNECTION AND RECONNECTION OF WATER SERVICE
Non-payment of sewerage bills will result in the disconnection of water service. Fees for the disconnection and reconnection of water service are as follows:
Disconnection Fee: $25.00
Reconnection Fee: $25.00
INCREMENTAL LEAK ADJUSTMENT
$4.90 per 1,000 gallons of water is to be used when the bill reflects unusual water consumption which can be attributed to eligible leakage on the customer’s side of the meter. This rate shall be applied to all such consumption above the customer’s historic average use.
RETURNED CHECK CHARGE
A service charge equal to the actual bank fee assessed to the sewer utility by the utility’s bank, up to a maximum of $25.00, will be imposed upon any customer whose check for payment of charges is returned by the bank for any reason.
Section 3: The rates, fees, charges, delayed payment penalty charges, service connection fee, and fees for the disconnection and reconnection of water service, leak adjustment charge, and returned check charges as shown in Section 2 are hereby fixed and determined to be the rates, fees, charges, delayed payment penalty charges, service connection fee, and fees for the disconnection and reconnection of water service, leak adjustment charge, and returned check charges to be charged to customers of the sewage facilities of the Village throughout the territory served.
Section 4: The rates, fees, charges, delayed payment penalty charges, service connection fee, and fees for the disconnection and reconnection of water service provided herein shall be effective September 30, 2021, which is more than forty-five (45) days after the adoption of this Ordinance.
Section 5: Upon introduction hereof, the Village of Bethlehem shall cause a copy of this Ordinance to be published as a Class I-0 Legal Advertisement in compliance with the provisions of West Virginia Code §59-3-1 pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 16, Article 12, Section 16 of the West Virginia Code. Said notice shall state the subject matter and general title of this proposed Ordinance, the date, time, and place of the proposed final vote on the adoption of the Ordinance, the place within the municipality where such proposed Ordinance may be inspected by the public, and that interested parties may appear at the meeting and may be heard with respect to the proposed Ordinance.
Section 6: A reasonable number of copies of this Ordinance shall be kept at the Village office and will be available for public inspection.
Section 7: The Mayor or Treasurer shall file the rates, fees, charges, delayed payment penalty charges, service connection fee, and fees for the disconnection and reconnection of water service, leak adjustment charge, and returned check charges established by this Ordinance with the Public Service Commission of the State of West Virginia, together with such information showing the basis of such rates, fees, charges, delayed payment penalty charges, service connection fee, and fees for the disconnection and reconnection of water service, leak adjustment charge, and returned check charges established as the Commission deems necessary.
The Council of the Village of Bethlehem will have a Public Hearing and its final reading and vote on the Ordinance on August 16, 2021, at 8:00 o’clock P.M. The Public Hearing and Council meeting for the vote on said Ordinance adoption will be open to the public and will be held in the Council Chambers of the Village of Bethlehem at One Community Park Road, Bethlehem, Wheeling, West Virginia. Interested parties may appear at the Public Hearing and Council meeting and be heard with respect to the proposed rates, fees, or charges as provided in the Ordinance.
The proposed increase in the rates and charges for sewage treatment for both commercial and residential customers of the sewer utility system of the Village of Bethlehem is a proposed approximate 10% increase. The average monthly bill increase for the various classes of customers will be changed as follows:
($) Increase Increase (%) Residential $12.06 55%
Commercial $37.82 55%
The proposed increase for sewage rates and charges, if adopted by Council, will become effective September 30, 2021.
A copy of the proposed Ordinance is available for public inspection at the Administrative Offices of the Village of Bethlehem, One Community Park Road, Bethlehem, Wheeling, West Virginia, between the hours of 8:30 o’clock A.M. and 12:00 o’clock noon, and 1:00 o’clock P.M. and 4:00 o’clock P.M., Monday through Friday.
VILLAGE OF BETHLEHEM, a
Municipal corporation
Matthew G. Saseen, Recorder
Intelligencer & News-Register August 5, 2021