Caledonia residents used a lot less water in 2014, less property owners paid public fire protection charges, and a brutally cold winter meant a 160 percent increase in water main breaks, according to Ehlers Inc., the village’s auditor.
And that perfect storm created a $500,000 loss in 2014 for the Caledonia Utility District.
Dave Wagner, senior municipal advisor for Ehlers, recommended that the village ask the Public Service Commission to allow a 3 percent increase in the village’s water and sewer rates. But any request would need to first be approved by the Caledonia Utility District Commission, which is expected to talk about the issue at its meeting slated for 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 3.
Village president Bob Bradley said he has a hard time believing that the commission would approve the request since the Caledonia Utility District just asked the PSC for an 8 percent rate increase last year.
“We’ll have to hear Dave’s (Wagner) argument on this and feel it out,” Bradley said.
If you’d like to attend the meeting, it will be held at the Caledonia Utility District office, 333 4 1/2 Mile Rd.