RUSS changing to flat-rate billing for communities

MOUNT PLEASANT (GTNS) ? Regional Utility Service Systems will no longer be billing customers based on metered and non-metered rates; all billing will be a new flat rate for each community with a RUSS waste water system in place.

The flat rates for each community will be made available to system customers in June, explained Kathy Dye, finance manager of RUSS.

During the regular session board meeting Wednesday afternoon, RUSS Executive Director Bruce Hudson stated some communities could experience increases in monthly bills while others may have decreases.

The change to flat rates approved by the RUSS board comes after a nearly three-month rate study conducted by Hudson and Chris Jewett of Midwest Assistance Program, a non-profit organization that assists rural agencies like RUSS.

Hudson would like to develop partnerships within the communities. He mentioned that in some communities farmers have volunteered to mow the area for the hay, saving the community from having to pay for someone to mow.

?That?s the partnership within the communities; I want to have that conversation and say, ?Where can we save money??? said Hudson. He also suggested getting a volunteer in each community to read the meters to save on costs.

The cost for such work is divided up among the customers in the communities on their monthly bills.

?So right now we have 10 systems; we have many wells, and we have some people that have meters. So, I want to go to a flat rate so I can adjust year to year what I know we need ? what each system needs to be,? stated Hudson.

Each system will be viable and paying for itself, explained Hudson. He aims to conduct a rate study each year to evaluate if monthly rates need to be readjusted.

?I think it needs to be done,? said Wes Rich, board chairman and Washington County supervisor, of the flat rate change.

?Now next month, I will go to each individual community and say, ?Where can we save in your community?? Electrical and stuff we will not save on, but if there?s somewhere that we can save by doing this or that, then we?ll try,? Hudson stated.

The board also approved to set commercial rates on a case-by-case basis.

In other business the board discussed the requested withdrawal from Wapello County.

Wapello County supervisor and RUSS board member Greg Kenning said, ?These are rather tough economic times, and we have to justify spending more and more from our county coffers to this organization and justify why we?re not getting anything out of it. For 13 years, money has flowed from Wapello County to this organization one way.?

He continued, ?So again today, I?m making the request that Wapello County drops from RUSS. Sorry to have to do that, to leave this organization, but I just don?t think we can justify how we spend that money.?

Currently Wapello County has no systems through RUSS, and membership fees for each county have increased during the past few years to amount to more than $5,000.

Kent White, Henry County supervisor, said, ?It?s a regional utility. It?s not a county utility; it?s a regional utility. At the time when you, as Wapello County, agreed to be a part of this group you were thinking as a region, to improve the entire region of the state.?

Hudson said, ?The state of Iowa is getting clean water, that?s what we?re getting out of it.?

?I think we really need to work hard to protect this organization,? said Rich. ?I think the RUSS organization is really important to Washington County, and I really don?t want to see you leave.

?I encourage you to be patient,? he continued.

No action was taken on the discussion.

?Well, I?ll convey the message,? stated Kenning.

In other business:

? The board heard from a representative from Dave Loebsack?s congressional office, who stated they will be holding a meeting with residents of Richmond.

? The disincorporation of Mount Sterling was discussed.

? Wage increases for RUSS?s employees were discussed; raises were suggested, but no action was taken. Hudson said he was not against the raises, but wanted to make sure the organization was successful and in good financial standing first.