PARKERSBURG — Parkersburg Metropolis Council will talk about a proposed water price hike and think about extending a pandemic B&O tax exemption when it meets Tuesday.
The agenda for the common council assembly, slated for 7:30 p.m. in council chambers on the second flooring of the Municipal Constructing, additionally contains the ultimate studying of an ordinance granting 50-cents-an-hour pay will increase to law enforcement officials and firefighters once they have served 10, 15 and 20 years.
However first, council will meet in particular session at 6 p.m. to resolve into the Committee of the Entire for a much less formal setting during which to listen to info and ask questions on a proposed Parkersburg Utility Board water price improve.
Though a separate entity from metropolis authorities, the utility board’s charges are authorised by council and Mayor Tom Joyce serves as its chairman.
Council voted in July to allocate $7 million in American Rescue Plan funding to the PUB for deliberate water system enhancements, together with the alternative of greater than 56,000 toes of water mains, upgrades to water storage tanks and enhancements on the water therapy plant.
That diminished the quantity of the speed improve being sought by the PUB to 9 p.c.
Council President Zach Stanley famous most council members, himself included, haven’t been by means of a price improve earlier than.
“I need (PUB officers) to go over how this course of works,” he mentioned. “I feel it’s simply getting all people on the identical web page and getting all their questions answered.”
Stanley mentioned each council member is prone to get calls concerning the improve.
“You need to have the ability to have a logical dialog together with your constituents,” he mentioned.
Chatting with council in July, PUB Supervisor Eric Bennett mentioned the rise is required not solely to assist cowl the estimated $9.89 million mortgage for the rest of the water challenge but additionally to make sure charges can help operations.
Stanley mentioned the committee would possibly vote to refer the matter to council, however no motion on the rise itself will likely be taken Tuesday.
On the common assembly, the ordinance on first studying would prolong a enterprise and occupation tax exemption first authorised by council in June 2020 in an effort to assist companies cope with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. It exempts the primary $500 owed by eating places and retail institutions, service companies and people renting or leasing actual property.
Renewed by the earlier and present councils, the exemption has saved filers roughly $750,000, Joyce mentioned.
“There’s nonetheless a whole lot of enterprise house owners, significantly small enterprise house owners, which have felt the affect of the pandemic,” he mentioned.
The town’s gross sales tax has remained sturdy all through the pandemic, Joyce mentioned, so the B&O exemption permits them to place a reimbursement within the fingers of taxpayers, Joyce mentioned.
The extra pay for long-serving police and firefighters handed 8-1 on first studying Sept. 14. It was proposed as an incentive for law enforcement officials to remain on the job longer and supply some separation between the pay for veteran firefighters and newer members of the division.
Evan Bevins will be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.
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Tuesday’s Council Conferences
* 6 p.m. — Particular assembly during which council plans to resolve into the Committee of the Entire to debate a proposed Parkersburg Utility Board water price improve, council chambers, second flooring, Municipal Constructing.
* 7:30 p.m. — Council’s common assembly contains the ultimate readings of ordinances offering 50-cents-an-hour raises to law enforcement officials and firefighters who’ve served 10, 15 and 20 years and vacating a portion of seventeenth Avenue east of South Hills Drive, in addition to the primary studying of an ordinance extending a $500 B&O tax exemption.