Water rates will go up this year for Anson County water and sewer customers following a vote by the county commissioners on June 6.
The board unanimously agreed to the request from Mike Sessions, the county utilities director, when he told them the increase will not drastically raise customers’ bills.
Sessions requested that the board raise the water and sewer rates 8.33 percent for both residential and commercial customers, bringing the minimum possible bill from $12 to $13.
The price increase is partially necessary due to water treatment chemical costs rising “significantly” in the last three years, Sessions said. The extra funds will help keep the infrastructure up to date, he said.
He said that an average bill for 5,000 gallons would go up less than $3.
Sessions said that it has been three or four years since the county last increased its rates.
“$13 for the minimum bill is extremely low,” Sessions said. “I don’t want to hurt people, either, but we need to maintain our infrastructure.”
Fire district tax increase
The commissioners also voted unanimously to raise the fire district tax for municipalities other than Wadesboro to 9 cents. The Wadesboro Fire Department went from receiving 7 cents to 9 cents last year when Chief Marc Sessions asked the county to allow the increase to help fund the new fire department.
Commissioner Jim Sims said that he wanted to see the other fire departments in the county have enough funds to purchase necessary equipment, adding that they already fund-raise with barbecues and other events.
The commissioners voted to implement the two-cent increase over the next three years in order to lessen the effect on taxpayers.
Deputies recognized
Two Anson County deputies were recognized for their initiative in crimefighting during the meeting.
Deputies Darius A. Ellison and David W. Spencer were honored by Sheriff Landric Reid before the board.
Reid gave each deputy a plaque containing a certificate of appreciation.
On April 19, the men heard a call from Union County concerning a Food Lion that had been robbed. They were at Arby’s and about to grab lunch but left to drive to the county line in case the suspect came through Anson. They found the suspect at a gas station in Polkton and did a “felony take-down,” Reid said. They learned that the suspect had allegedly robbed a location in Monroe earlier that same day.
Roughly a week before the commissioners’ meeting, the same deputies took down a meth lab, Reid said.
“Both of them really have compassion for the area they serve,” Reid said before handing them the certificates. “Continue to work hard and do what you’re paid to do.”
Reid told the commissioners that both deputies were “hard workers” and that he plans to recognize other deputies for their accomplishments in the near future.
“They solved two crimes just by paying attention to detail,” Reid said.
4-H visit
4-H agent Roshunda Terry accompanied 4-H participant Katie Edwards to the front to introduce her to the commissioners. Terry said that Edwards has made a variety of accomplishments in her years in 4-H and that the teen will represent Anson at the North Carolina County Commissioners Summit later this year. One of her assignments for the summit was to visit a county commissioners meeting and to take a photo with the board.
This year, Terry said Edwards plans to attend either the National 4-H Congress in Atlanta or the National 4-H Conference in Washington, D.C.
Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.
