Piedmont, AL –During the City Council meeting Tuesday the Councilman Jubal Feazell proposed the resolution on budgetary adjustments and guidelines. The plan was six points of a financial plan as a type of checks and balances, as well as a means of oversight to be utilized by the Council as well as city administration. City Administration going forward.
The resolution was debated long and arduously before being approved by the majority of the members. Feazell stated that he would like to see the guidelines to be in place to assist in identifying ways to cut expenses and assist in managing the revenue.
The City Administration and Utility Superintendents are increasing the rates of the city’s Utilities. In the words of councilman Greg South, the increase is around 30 percent. He voiced his strong opposition at the meeting. According to the City Clerk Carl Hinton, the last rate hike occurred in 2013. He as well as Mayor Baker claimed that there have been numerous increases in the electricity rates of the City, however the increased costs of services were not transferred to customers. The city’s electric rate per kilowatt-hour, following the rate increase will be lower that Alabama Power and Cherokee Electric Co-op, two utilities serving areas that are adjacent to Piedmont. The Mayor said they are looking for areas to reduce the budget to reduce some of the budget deficits. Mayor Baker declared that Three Corners Land Fill is getting up the price to $50 per tonne on the tipping fee for garbage disposal that started as low as $21 per tonne. The Mayor said that all of this has left the City in a difficult financial position. Baker stated that the rate increase for customers would take effect the 1st of November day.
Mr. Baker is an anchor on WEIS Radio. (Information provided via WEIS RADIO)
