By Michael Prochaska
Staff Writer
 
Water cut-on/off fees may increase to $30 from $15, said City Manager David Nunn at a city council work session Monday.

Nunn said that for those who do not pay their water bills, the city’s utilities department is forced to physically disconnect a customer.

“We really need for that to better reflect what it cost to do that nowadays,” he said, “and it needs to be a little bit better incentive for people to pay…It needs to hurt a little more than $15.”

The council will decide next month whether to approve the new price, along with changes to city’s solid waste ordinance.

Nunn explained that regulations to garbage services will not change considerably but will reflect what the city currently practices.

The ordinance will require residents to take their garbage can out to the curb and remove it after a reasonable time, though exemptions will be given to residents who are physically unable to do so. Exemption forms are available upon request at the city clerk’s office. Another requirement is bagging of trash for the maintenance of the trash containers and to prevent littering.

The vast majority of the city uses curbside services, Nunn said. The service provides each household with one garbage container embossed with the name “City of Madison.”
The rate of service charge for businesses is contingent upon the usage of the containers, according to the ordinance, and businesses can hire other services for recycling.

In other city council news, a consensus was made to sign off at the next meeting on an updated Hazard Mitigation Plan prepared by Morgan County Emergency Management Agency. The plan also assists in acquiring grants related to hazard planning. The council will also reexamine the city’s Planned Residential District ordinance at its Sept. meeting.

Printed in the August 30, 2012 edition