After years of water and sewage increases, Saratoga Springs City Council members have tabled Commissioner Skip Scirocco’s motion to vote on a 2008 water and sewage plan that would once again increase rates.

At Tuesday night’s city council meeting, members voted 4-1 against the proposed rate increases. Commissioner John Franck cited having a problem with the whole process.

“I know its just pennies but it’s their [residents] pennies, not mine,” Franck said. “I have a problem with the whole process…I just don’t see where another 30 days is going to make a huge difference.”

Franck also suggested holding a workshop or a couple of open public hearings in order to get more public input.

Commissioner of Finance Ken Ivins and Commissioner of Public Safety Ron Kim agreed with Franck’s plea. Ivins cited that there was a time frame issue that could put a crunch on his department, but he said that it should have been handled in the budget last year. Kim said he did not agree with the process either and that he could not vote on an increase until he received the 2007 expense numbers.

“Yesterday we had an agenda meeting and none of this was brought up; if there was a concern about the 2007 rates, then you should have talked with me,” Commissioner Skip Scirocco said in an attempt to defend the proposed plan.

Franck responded by saying that he had been all for the increases until he got the full feel for the plan and the budgetary process.

Prior to the council’s tabling of the budget, Director of Public Works, William McTygue, presented a 90-minute PowerPoint presentation that highlighted the city’s water and sewer rate history.

He said that the budget was not static, meaning that revenues are totally dependent on customer usage, which in turn is dependent on variables such as changes in weather patterns from season to season.

“Simply put, when it rains we are not selling water, and when it is dry water consumption and sales increase,” McTygue said. “The 10 to 15 percent swing in water usage is commonly expected from year to year based on the weather alone.”

McTygue also cited that deficit could be wiped out in one good sales year and that he anticipated it happening sooner than later.

Before McTygue’s presentation, a public comment session yielded numerous citizens who came

to voice their concerns over the proposed plan. Their concerns centered around a lack of need for taking water out of Saratoga Lake and a fear over raising water rates and escalating shortfalls from year to year.

“Some of what was said wasn’t even close to the truth of what we are proposing in increases to the city’s water and sewer rate,” McTygue said at the beginning of his presentation. He also cited that the city has the lowest water rate in the area.

The proposed water increase would raise the water rate service charge from $7 to $10. McTygue also cited an increase of approximately $7 per quarter for the average user. He categorized the average user as someone who uses 3,500 cubic feet of water every three months.

The water budget is set at $3.1 million for 2008, which is $1 million greater than the amount budgeted in 2007. The sewer budget will also increase from $3.2 million in 2007 to $3.5 million for 2008.

A public hearing will be scheduled in order to discuss the matter prior to the April 1 city council meeting.