Tuesday, March 09, 1999
Newport hikes water rates 30%
Money will fund facility repairs
BY TERRY FLYNN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NEWPORT — City commissioners voted unanimously Mondaynight to increase water rates by 30 percent, increasing the quarterly bill for an average water user in the city by $12.
The rate increase, which will appear on the April water bill for residents of Newport, Southgate and Woodlawn, will pay off bonds to support $5.8 million in repairs and improvements to the water works facility in 1999 and 2000.
A typical water user pays $39 every three months for 15,000 gallons, or 2,000 cubic feet, of water. That bill will increase to about $51
quarterly.
Two major projects to be financed in the next year are the $2.6 million improvement to the water clarification system, and $1 million for replacement of old water meters.
Also Monday, Frank Peluso, city clerk and water works director, advised the commissioners about the need to replace the city's five-year-old voice mail system, which is not Year 2000 compatible.
“When we replace the sys tem, we will also downsize it,” Mr. Peluso said, explaining that a new system would not have the same capacity as the current system but would handle all of the city's voice mail needs. He has received a bid of $10,200 for a new system.
Commissioner Ken Rechtin asked if the present system could be updated to meet Y2K needs, but was informed by City Manager Phil Ciafardini that the company that made and installed the system is out of business.
Mr. Rechtin, Newport's representative to the River Cities Government committee, told the other commissioners that a plan to bring several cities together for an enti tlement zone — to receive guaranteed grant money from the state — would not work.
“We were informed (by state officials) that an entitlement area had to be within a single county, and had to have over 200,000 population,” Mr. Rechtin said. “That basically rules out every county in Kentucky, except maybe Jeffer son.”
He said the committee was working with the state's Department for Local Government to develop other possible funding methods that could be used jointly by all the river cities — Ludlow, Covington, Newport, Bellevue, Fort Thomas and Dayton.
Clinton returning to Tristate
Snow could pile up to a foot today
Winter driving tips
Rose's road in way of progress
Ohio governor is x-tra thrifty
Harry Moore shares his diet secrets
Big 4-0 no sweat for Barbie
It's a Barbie world
Barbie milestones
Readers share Barbie memories
Fort Washington Way gets blues (greens too)
West side celebrates new chief
Worried about care, man, 79, kills son, self
Opera audience in growth spurt
Accused guard had record
Battle for Justin catches attention of national shows
Cause of factory fire suspect
CPS plan makes room for charter schools
Dropout rate falls sharply in Cincinnati
E-mail and music keep nun active
Faithful donor revered
Two firefighters face firing in Union Twp.
Counterculture town rallies to fight sprawl
Covington hopes to lure new 2-year college
Forum looks to close school-to-work 'skill gap'
Husband's intent key to murder trial
Loveland ministry still funneling aid to Mitch victims
Newport hikes water rates 30%
Ohio's new schools boss sees role as peacemaker
One trial ordered in sex-for-favors case
Planners reject Cold Spring hotel
Suspect called a violent drunk
TRISTATE DIGEST
