Town of Lowell to amend 2025 sewer rates, connection fees
At their Monday, Jan. 27 meeting, the Lowell Town Council passed introductory readings for three ordinances in order to update the sewer rates for this year.
Ordinance No. 2025-02 is slated to set the sewer rates as follows: 5/8 & 3/4-inch meter, $67; 1-inch meter, $167.50; 1 ¼-inch meter, $268; 1 ½-inch meter, $335, 2-inch meter, $536; 3-inch meter, $1,005; 4-inch meter, $1,675; and 6-inch meter, $3,350.
Ordinance No. 2025-3 will set the sewer connection fees at $4,300 for a base unit and $1,700 for the sewer connection fee.
Ordinance No. 2025-4 addresses miscellaneous sewer charges. The ordinance would call for a $150 fee on all sewer inspections, an initial deposit of $67 and a septic wastewater fee set at $191 for every 1,000 gallons pumped. Clerk-treasurer Jill Murr asked council to also add a $65 fee to a non-payment of the sewer utility bill to the ordinance.
Council also set the public hearings for the three of the ordinances during their Feb. 24 meeting.
All three motions motions passed unanimously, with council president Todd Angerman, council vice president Mike Gruszka and councilmen John Alessia, Shane Tucker and John Yelkich all voting in favor of the measure.
In other news, council also approved an agreement with O.W. Krohn & Associates of Westfield for accounting and financial consulting services.
The agreement would set the hourly rates for the firm’s partners at $290, senior project managers at $260, project managers at $240, senior consultants $210, consultants at $195 and support personnel at $100. The motion passed unanimously.
Council also approved the 2024 encumbrances to this year’s budget. The encumbrances are carried forward from last year’s budget to the 2025 budget due to a contract or a purchase order.
In the General Fund, a total of $14,771.83 was carried over under the Town Council line item. A total of $489.72 was carried over under the Clerk-Treasurer line item, and $ 565.24 carried over for the Police. The grand total carried over from last year’s budget in the General Fund is $15,826.79
The Motor Vehicle Highway Fund will have $8,319.07 carried over from last year’s budget, and the Local Road and Street Fund will have $15,624.50 carried over. The Clerk Record Prep Fund will carry over $ 1,030 from last year, and the Corona Fiscal Relief Fund will have $11,700 carried into 2025.
The Sidewalk Curb & Gutter will carry $34,306 into this year’s budget. The Sidewalk Curb & Gutter Fund will have $ 34,306 carried over. The White/Nassau Park Fund will carry over a total of $7,640. The TIF Fund will carry over $87,000 from last year. The
Sidewalk Curb & Gutter Fund will roll over a total of $34,306. The Stormwater Fund will roll over a total of $3,352.45.
The entire amount of money rolled over into the 2025 budget will be $219,104.81. The motion passed unanimously.
Council also approved quarterly fees for the Parks and Recreation Department. The Spring and Fall Soccer fees were set for $70 per season for residents of the Town of Lowell, Cedar Creek Township and West Creek Township and $75 per season for non-residents, although the fees for children of a head coach will be waived and the fees for children of an assistant coach will be reduced to half.
The Shelter Fees for the parks in the Town of Lowell will be set at $60 for residents and $70 for non-residents, with an additional $25 fee if there’s a special event going on in town.
The Bark Park at Freedom Park will have fees set at $75 for residents and $100 for non-residents, each with a $25 fee for an additional dog.
The pickle ball rental fees at Freedom Park will be $100 for residents and $150 for non-residents and will be available once daily for a two-hour time slot.
Also, Freedom Park memorial bricks will be $35 for a 3x7 brick.
The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 10.