Crockett council approves consumption-based water rate increase to fund budget

The Crockett City Council voted to approve an ordinance amending chapter 19 of the city code to increase the water charge on consumption by six cents per 100 gallons, with no change to base customer rates. City staff told the council the change is intended to generate the revenue necessary to fund the budget the council approved last month, including planned employee salary increases.

City staff summarized the ordinance as “the ordinance that will fund the budget that council approved” and explained the council chose to raise the consumption unit rather than alter base rates. Staff added that “so it’s 6¢ for every hundred gallons” as the per-unit change to consumption charges. Officials noted this is the first water-rate change since 2016.

Several council members and residents questioned whether the change represented new revenue for the city or a passthrough of increases from the regional water district; one resident argued the district ‘‘went up on us’’ and said any increase would be passed along to customers. Council members responded that the municipality had some latitude and that earlier deferrals of routine contract increases affected the present adjustment. A council member moved to approve the ordinance and the presiding officer declared the motion carried.

The ordinance language on the record amends the city utilities code to increase consumption charges per hundred gallons, contains a severability clause and a repealing clause, and sets an effective date. The transcript does not record a roll-call vote or named vote tallies; the record notes only that the motion was moved, seconded and carried.

The ordinance takes effect as provided in the ordinance language; staff said the adjustment is intended to cover increased operating costs and employee raises included in the current budget.