District considering increase in water rates

by Meg Olson

Faced with the combined impact of an increase in the price of water purchased from the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) and a strengthening Canadian dollar, Point Roberts water commissioners will likely have little choice but to raise rates for 2004.

“This is one of the largest increases we’ve seen, though we consistently get one every year,” said district manager Dan Bourks at the board’s December 10 meeting. “The killer is the rate of the dollar. If we hit an 80 cent Canadian dollar it will be $280,000 for water for the year, and that’s a 13 percent increase. We’ll definitely have to address the rates.”

The district previously approved but never implemented a $1 rate increase in 2002, which could cover budget needs in the short term, but commissioners agreed a closer look at rates would be needed. “What we really need to do is a rate model but that will take five or six months,” said Art Wilkowski. “We really need to be charging the cost of service.”Commissioners reaffirmed their direction to Bourks from the previous month to request bids from consultants to look at developing a rate model which would determine how much it costs the water district to serve different classes of customer and extrapolate how much to charge them for the service. “I think it’s an important thing,” Bourks agreed.

Commissioners received one application from Sue Johnson to fill the position left vacant by Lorne Nielson, but decided to leave the position open. “I would prefer to be in a position where everyone who has the smallest interest in applying has the opportunity,” Wilkowski said. Commiss-ioners agreed to wait until their regular February meeting to interview and appoint a new commissioner.

The regular January 7 water board meeting has been cancelled due to commissioner scheduling conflicts and a special meeting has been scheduled for January 6 to replace it.

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