Gainesville residents will likely see higher utility rates next fiscal year after city officials passed two measures Thursday night.
In a 6-1 vote, City Commission passed a water-rate increase for apartment complexes.
The increase creates a flat rate for each apartment building’s unit, instead of dividing utility charges differently each month based on each building’s water gauge.
The change applies to all multi-family homes, including townhomes, flats and duplexes.
The new flat rate of $3.05 per every 1,000 gallons used will now apply to individual apartments.
But some feel the measure directly targets students, who make up about half of Gainesville’s population.
“If an increase is absolutely necessary, then it should come at the cost of all Gainesville residents, not just those that live in apartments,” said UF Student Government Senator and graduate student Chris Weaver.
The increase puts local rates on par with higher rates across the state, said Gainesville Regional Utilities general manager Kathy Viehe, making up for years of underpayments from multi-family homes.
Though the rate change will mean a 50-cent increase for single-family homes for every 7,000 gallons of water used, apartments will see an increase of $2.25 for every 3,000 gallons used.
City Commission also passed a measure ending GRU’s use of mountaintop coal, the culmination of Gainesville Loves Mountains’ three-and-a-half year battle to stop the practice .
The controversial technique involves literally blasting off the tops of mountains to access seams of coal underneath. The result is catastrophic for nearby streams and valleys where the resulting waste is dumped.
In his opening remarks, Appalachian Voices director of programs Matthew Wasson said the coal mining is leveling mountains across the Appalachian area, leaving streams contaminated with waste and contributing to higher cancer rates.
Supporters of the proposal filled the room to near capacity wearing white and blue “I heart mountains” buttons.
“This is the kind of problem that is happening right in people’s backyards,” Wasson said.
GRU will now commit to spending up to 5 percent more to buy coal from sources that deep mine their coal instead, could result in fuel expenses anywhere up to $1.65 million.
If the costs go over 5 percent, City Commission can vote to temporarily suspend the policy.
City Commissioner Lauren Poe said the increase will most likely be around 2.5 percent, which equates to 48 cents more per month for customers.
“That is a small price to pay,” Poe said.
[A version of this story ran on page 6 on 9/19/2014 under the headline "City Commission: water-rate increases, stops mountain top coal"]
