The issue of how high water rates will go up next year will be dealt with today during a special meeting of the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities (BPU). BPU officials will meet at 4 p.m. today in the BPU board room to discuss the water and electric division budgets for next year.
During discussions last month, BPU general manager David Leathers said there was a good likelihood water customers would see a significant increase in rates due to the BPU giving the city of Jamestown $482,000 dividend payment to help the city keep its tax levy below the constitutional limit.
The water budget for next year was already projecting a 2.3 percent increase, but with the dividend payment being approved for the city, Leathers has said it could result in a steeper rate hike.
Jamestown mayor Sam Teresi, who also serves as the BPU’s president, requested that Leathers identify possible cost saving measures in next year’s water division budget in order to help keep the rate hike from climbing too high.
Today’s meeting will focus on those measures, along with finalizing the budgets for both the water and electric divisions.
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