Sheldon, Iowa — With the need to make major improvements in Sheldon’s Wastewater Treatment Facility to comply with new government regulations, it was obvious that residents and businesses in the community would see an increase in the “Sewer” portion of their utility bills.
At Wednesday’s meeting, the city council took a major step toward indicating what that increase could be. City Manager Sean Hutchison presented a plan which would include tax increment financing funds for paying 25 percent of the cost of the new facility. He said this would still leave enough money in the TIF fund to provide incentives for development. The City would then borrow money to pay the rest of the cost. The exact amount they would need to borrow will not be known until the bids for the treatment plant work have been received. The council approved a rate increase plan based on projections of this cost. The plan includes rate increases every six months until the year 2020. Over that period of time, it is projected that the average residential sewer cost would increase by 98 percent. Commercial, institutional and multifamily dwellings would see an increase of up to 103 percent. There will also be a substantial increase in the “strength charges” for the City’s major industrial contributor. All of these amounts could change depending on the amount of money the City will have to borrow. Sheldon Public Works Director Todd Uhl told the council that they could have built a lower-priced facility, but the city wanted one that would serve its needs for “thirty, forty, fifty” years.
In other business, the council passed the final reading of an amended zoning ordinance as well as an ordinance to rezone the Prairie Trail Addition, and they approved Tyler Buyert as a student fire fighter. The council also adopted a Mayor’s Proclamation for Hurricane Harvey Relief Declaring September 5th thru 13th as Sheldon, Iowa 4 Sheldon Texas.
Sheldon Police Chief Lyle Bolkema reported to the council that their department is focusing on enforcing the speed limit in areas near the schools. That includes East 4th Street, East 6th Street, East 9th Street and Union Avenue. He said they have every intention of slowing people down, and noted that a fine for speeding is $195.00. He also reminded motorists that when they see students crossing the street at 6th and Washington they must STOP or be subject to a $195.00 fine. Bolkema also noted even though these enforcements are in areas around the schools, it’s not only high school-age drivers who are violating the law. He said that often teens get a “bum rap”, because many of the offenders are adults.
