The Frankfort City Council gave final approval to a water rate hike request by the Utility Service Board on Monday night.
“I’m very happy that this is done,” said USB General Manager Todd Corrie. “I’m ecstatic. It’s been a long process. We’ve been working on this for three years now.”
The increase, which will begin to take place in October, will happen in three different phases and will increase a residents’ monthly rate by $10.05. That will make the new rate $28.75 by the time it’s all phased in which will make a resident’s rate for sewer and water come to $68.44 which is still a great bargain when compared to other towns and cities in the area. Before the increase, Frankfort had the third cheapest rate of combined sewer and water in the area at $58.39.
Corrie said the increase would be used to do several things like upgrade the water plant from six million gallons of water a day to nine million gallons, it will finish off the Jefferson Loop project, there will be on-site generation for chlorine, rehab one of the water towers, rehab another tower in five years and be able to replace water mains a mile every year.
The Council also received an update from Street Superintendent Jason Forsythe about having a traffic signal or a roundabout at the State Road 28 and County Road 200 West Intersection.
Forsythe previously said a roundabout might push the project back another year. However, he said that is now not the case because INDOT has already let the project.
“I like the roundabout idea because the flow of traffic is so much better,” said Forsythe. “It is kind of a odd area for one in my opinion.”
The city also tried to talk INDOT into a roundabout a year ago due to the train issues in the town. However, that didn’t work.
“We talked a little bit about the trains early on,” said Forsythe. “That’s another reason I’m kind of leaning towards the roundabout.”
Forsythe added a traffic light could be installed when the project is going on, while a roundabout will be done after work on State Road 28 is complete.
Currently, it will take between two and three years for the State Road 28 project to be completed with work starting in 2021. Jackson Street is the dividing line with work being done east of that in one year and west of that in another year.