Water and sewer, taxes going up

Water and sewer costs and taxes in the City of Hazlehurst are going up.
At last week’s called meeting of the Hazlehurst City Council, the council reluctantly agreed to the increases. But they cited that, in order to balance the city’s 2024-2025 budget, the increases are necessary.
City Councilman Chris Jones computed the increases, saying he had spent many hours working on the needed increases, which were necessary for the budget which included pay raises for employees, including a large increase for police officers. He said he did not like the increases but said they were necessary.
Police Chief James Mock gave an impassioned plea as he explained the need for the police department salary increases, citing among other things the difficulty in attracting badly needed officers at the existing pay level.
A one-mill increase in the city’s millage rate was improved by the council and the water and sewer rates were effectively doubled for commercial and industrial water and sewer costs, while residential rates were unchanged.
The one mill increase in the millage rate will generate $81,427 for the city coffers.
The commercial water rate was increased from $15 for water and $15.50 for sewer to $30 for water and $31 for sewer. And the industrial rate was increased from $30 and $31 to $60 and $62.
The new rates would bring the city in line with rates in surrounding communities.
Water and sewer rates for commercial and industrial businesses located outside the city limits would see comparable increases.
City Clerk Vernice Thompson explained to the council members that the proceeds generated through water and sewer charges could only be used in the water and sewer department, and could not be used for expenditures in other city departments. The water and sewer department’s rate collection is a stand alone enterprise fund, prohibiting the funds from being spent on other city needs.