In addition to lifting the water warning at the Sioux Center City Council meeting Monday, the city council conducted a second reading of a proposed water rate increase. The proposal includes an increase of 6% on the meter charge and an 8% increase on the usage rate, one in the summer of 2023, and one in the summer of 2024. Officials say that as residents reduce their water softener usage, savings on the cost of softener salt will help defray the cost of the increases.
Council ratified a bid of 300 additional MMBTU of Natural Gas that will be sent to Northern Natural Gas, the company that provides Sioux Center with natural gas. According to Utilities Manager Murray Hulstein, the opportunity to increase natural gas capacity doesn’t happen often, and this is a chance to do that. The city will have the opportunity to cancel the bid if NNG’s price for the additional gas is too high.
Hulstein reminded council of the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System ribbon cutting in Sioux Center. The celebration is scheduled for Tuesday, May 2nd at 11am at the Sioux Center Water Plant; parking at the Faith Christian Reformed Church parking lot.
Other City Council action included receipt of annual department reports; discussion on the sale of city owned property; discussion on purchasing property for industrial development; purchase of equipment and vehicles for the waste water department; employee review; and new employee ratification before ending in executive session.
The next Sioux Center City Council meeting is scheduled for May15.
