City of Tea sewer rates to increase

After much discussion, the city council approved raising the sewer rate to a $32 flat rate and raising the commercial rate from $2 to $3 per 1,000 gallons over 6,000.

The flat rate was raised $10 from the current rate and will take effect Jan. 1. Finance officer Dawn Murphy noted that in order to qualify for grants they need to be at least at the state rate of $30 in order to qualify. The council still needs to look at making a fee schedule increase over a number of years to lower debt and make steps to be ready for regionalization.

The council also held three public hearings in which one member of the public spoke in regards to the street vacation of Williams Street. HWH Land Company and Ryan Good applied for the vacation of Williams Street and 230 feet of Grummand Avenue from Mindy Street to Williams Street in the Landmark Industrial Park Addition. Neither street has been constructed or has utilities in the right-of-way. The council approved the vacation.

The council held a public hearing for the Tempo Addition preliminary development plan. The council had approved a preliminary plan in 2014 but that has expired so a new one needed to be submitted. The council approved the plan and planning and zoning administrator Kevin Nissen said Tempo would like to start on some grading next spring.