Harrington City City Council may raise utility rates

HARRINGTON – As an additional explanatory statement regarding last week’s public hearing on the State Environmental Policy Act, the City of Harrington had posted the public hearing notice for two weeks prior to the issue being voted upon in the Council meeting in order that the public at large can question the activity of the council in an informed manner. The notice that preceded the meeting stated, “the project involves modification of the City of Harrington Wastewater Treatment Plant to facilitate operations, replacing two swirl concentrators at the head of the plant,” perhaps giving the public of more technical material than most consumers would want at their disposal.

Similarly, the city posted notices that the preliminary budget hearings would be taking place, in the Davenport Times and at City Hall. This did not result in a noticeable increase in visitors attending the city council meeting last month. In December 2019, budget decisions were made that raised the rates on the city water-sewer-garbage patrons for the 2020 budget. When the amount appeared on the customers’ bills in February, the public revolted and one appeared at the March 12 City Council meeting “solely to let Council know how upset the community is with the lack of notification regarding the raising of water, sewer and garbage rates, which recently had a 10% increase in the billing,” which for one patron amounted to about a $25 increase per month.

This situation is about to recur. The city council cannot be faulted, since the notices are published in the Davenport Times and posted at city hall. Citizens whose rates are apt to be raised again in 2021 can read these public notices and attend any or all of the public budget hearings and thus not be shocked by the increase.