As the Orange City Council mulls over a proposed new budget and tax rate, residents can be assured of one thing. They won’t have to pay more for water and sewer service this year.
For the third straight year, the city staff is not recommending a rate increase for those services under what is called the “enterprise fund.”
On Tuesday, City Manager Dr. Shawn Oubre explained the enterprise fund is a separate budget for water and sewer departments. The departments are not operated through property taxes like the rest of the city operations. The income from water and sewer bills pays for those departments.
Oubre said the departments are financially stable and do not need a rate increase this year, even though some costs are increasing.
The city council will have another budget workshop on Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Danny Gray Community Room at the police station. The meeting may include a field trip. Mayor Larry Spears Jr. wants the council members to go to the city natatorium to look at the condition and what repairs will be needed.
The indoor pool is not opened this summer because the city was not able to staff it with life guards and a supervisor. The lack of lifeguards is a problem that has faced other cities across the country.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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