2012 Borough Fees Up for Discussion Monday

Fees for various services in Chatham Borough, from water and sewer to recreation and municipal parking permits, will be up for discussion at Monday's council meeting.

Council President James Lonergan will lead the discussion. He last discussed water and sewer rates in March, when the borough's seven percent tax levy increase was a hot topic. Then, Lonergan detailed how the borough had lost money on water and sewer usage in 2011.

"Think about how incredibly wet last year was," Lonergan said. "People used a lot less water, which earned us less revenue [there] ... and sewer usage is driven by water usage."

In 2008, when the economy's downturn was at its most drastic, the borough's debt service was very low. As a result, the borough was able to lower usage costs for water and sewers at that time.

"From the consistency of keeping things level, that shouldn’t happen," Lonergan said.

Now it makes the increase in those utilities seem drastic. "Debt service is up significantly from 2011," Lonergan said of the water rate, but over time "I would bet that rate is going to start moving up to closer to what it was in 2007."

The tables below show water and sewer usage rates and parking rates in Chatham Borough over recent years.

The Chatham Borough Council meets at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Chatham Borough Municipal Building. A complete copy of the agenda is attached.