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The Hagerstown City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve water and wastewater rate increases of 3 percent and 2 percent, respectively, for the coming fiscal year.
The hikes are part of a new five-year rate model for the city’s utility services that would bring slight year-over-year increases through 2024.
For customers who use 10,000 gallons per quarter, the total in-city quarterly cost increase for both services would amount to about $2.50. Outside customers’ bills would increase about $4, also assuming 10,000 gallons used quarterly.
City officials have said gradual increases have helped keep yearly adjustments manageable for users. They also help utility departments keep pace with capital and operating needs.
Hagerstown officials took a step to address a need for the city’s fire department Tuesday.
The city council voted unanimously to create a third full-time deputy fire marshal position.
Officials have said the position is necessary to relieve Fire Marshal Doug DeHaven, a non-union exempt employee ineligible for overtime pay, from regular on-call hours and return to an office management role.
The new position will be budgeted for the coming fiscal year, although city officials anticipate paying only about seven months of salary. The hire won’t happen until the candidate completes the policy academy.
Utility exemption for county project
The Hagerstown City Council on Tuesday approved a request for an exemption to the city’s water and wastewater policy to provide service for an upcoming Washington County project.
The council’s 4-1 approval allows the city to provide water service to a 49-acre property at 9238 Sharpsburg Pike, where the county is planning to build a public safety training center.
Councilman Kristin Aleshire voted against the motion. He said his vote wasn’t against the project, but he objected to expanding the city’s service area without reducing it in another area to offset the capacity.
The county’s request was for a capacity of about 1,000 gallons of water per day. No system improvements are needed to facilitate the request, city officials said.
The Hagerstown City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a lease agreement with T-Mobile USA Inc. to install equipment on a city cellular tower.
The lease has an initial five-year term, with four additional five-year renewal periods. Monthly rent will be $2,700, subject to increase by 3 percent each year.
The monopole tower is at the Hagerstown Police Department headquarters along North Burhans Boulevard.
Repeal of utility licenses
The Hagerstown City Council will no longer require licenses for all public utilities that operate within the city.
Acting at the direction of legal counsel, the council voted 5-0 on Tuesday to repeal a section of city code requiring licenses for utilities such as gas, electric, water or telecom companies.
City Attorney Jennifer Keefer told council members on Feb. 12 that many companies have not paid for the $4,500 licenses because they already comply with state or federal regulations that supersede local requirements.
Police, fire retirement plan
The Hagerstown City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved changes to its police and fire department retirement plans to include police cadets.
The update, effective March 28, adds a police officer trainee or cadet as a “covered employee” under the plan.
Those employees, however, would not be eligible for line of duty disability until they are sworn officers.
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