The City of Salem is holding two important public hearings back-to-back Tuesday. Both provide Salem residents an opportunity to make their opinions known regarding its respective topics. A tax levy hearing at 5:30 p.m. and a sewer rate hearing at 5:45 p.m. will be held prior to the regularly scheduled City of Salem Board of Aldermen meeting at 6 p.m. in the council chambers (202 N. Washington St.) Missouri statute does not provide a minimum length for either hearing.
Both hearings are required by Missouri statute in order to protect citizen input in local government—they are provided for in Missouri statutes 67.110 and 250.233 respectively.
The City of Salem has run the appropriate notices for both meetings in accordance with statute.
The tax levy hearing is for the city to set the tax rate on real estate and personal property tax as adjusted annually based upon assessed valuation.
The sewer rate hearing follows a July 7 meeting of the utilities committee, when the group discussed the city’s odds of receiving a $5 million American Rescue Plan Act grant for sewer plant upgrades. One of the categories in the grading scale of the grant application is sewer rates. According to that grading scale, Salem’s sewer rates are too low to receive full points in the sewer rate category. In order to increase the city’s chances of receiving the grant, the committee recommended 5-0 to significantly increase sewer rates; however, rates would not change until aldermen vote on a change to sewer rates—aldermen cannot vote to change sewer rates until after holding the aforementioned public hearing.
However, in order to satisfy the requirements of the grant application before a mid-July deadline, aldermen unanimously passed a resolution (21-2022) at its July 12 meeting showing the city’s intent to adjust wastewater (sewer) service.
In order for a new sewer rate to take effect with the next full billing cycle (Sept.-Oct.) after the public hearing, it would need to be on the agenda either at the Aug. 23 or Sept. 13 regular meeting. However, the board of aldermen is unlikely to have a bill brought before it on Aug. 23, mayor Greg Parker told The Salem News in a July 16 email.
“[This meeting will make the public] aware of the importance of the situation this addresses and how it will help avoid breaking governmental laws that the city is required by law to abide by,” wrote Parker. Parker also stated in the email that he wants to make sure that the public understands the importance of treatment to the city’s water infrastructure.
“The city is required by state statute (RSMo Section 250.233) to have a public hearing prior to establishing any sewer charges. The purpose of the public hearing is for the board of aldermen to hear comments on the issue of adjusting sewer rates in the City of Salem,” wrote alderman Shawn Bolerjack.
“I want to provide citizens an opportunity to discuss the proposed rates before the council and attending staff,” wrote alderman Kyle Williams.
“I hope to provide attending citizens and media with information on what initially prompted the hearing, what the change of rates will be paying for, and stress the importance of the water treatment plant project, noting specifically why the changes are necessary,” he wrote.
The Salem News asked Parker, Bolerjack, and Williams what they think is most important for Salem residents to understand about the public hearing.
Mayor Parker emphasized in his response that he hopes the public will understand how important it is that the city’s water infrastructure receives treatment.
“Our current sewer rates as they stand cannot support our infrastructure. Without these changes our infrastructure may deteriorate, creating further issues leading to additional costs and potential fines from the state,” wrote Williams.
“The public hearing will give all interested persons an opportunity to provide input on this matter. Sewer rates have not had an increase since 2018 (Ordinance No. 3392 passed July 30, 2018) and the current rates charged by the city for wastewater services are not sufficient to properly maintain and operate the wastewater system,” wrote Bolerjack.
The Salem News also asked if 15 minutes will be an adequate amount of time to address sewer rates with the public.
Parker, Williams and Bolerjack said that it depends on how much public participation takes place.
“If we begin to suspect a larger audience I will ask for adjustments to allow for a longer hearing,” wrote Williams.
The above-mentioned resolution asserts that “the current rates charged by the [City of Salem] for wastewater services are not sufficient to properly maintain and operate the wastewater system,” it also states that “the city has been issued revised Total Maximum Daily Loads by the United States Environmental Protection Agency that requires the city to make improvements to its wastewater treatment facility,” which essentially means that the city needs to make an estimated $9.5 million in required improvements by a 2026 deadline.
The resolution also states that “the city could receive more points on the scoring guide of the grant application if Current User Rates are increased” and “the city's utility committee are meeting to determine an adjustment in rates to allow the city to continue to provide such utility service,” it states.
It also states that the city intends to adjust sewer rates “to allow the city to continue to provide such utility service and to help in the scoring of the grant application.”
According to Bolerjack, the resolution’s stated intent is sufficient to fulfill the requirements of the grant application.
