By DOUG WILSON
Herald-Whig Senior Writer

Quincy aldermen heard a first reading of ordinances Monday that would raise water rates by 25 percent, add a meter charge of $13.31 every three months and hike sewer rates by 30 percent.

‘”We’re trying to adjust the cost so that we’re covering expenses. Right now we’re subsidizing our customers by 17 cents per unit of water,” said Director of Utilities David Kent.

The last rate increase was in December 2006.

A unit of water is about 750 gallons. Sewer rates are tied to water use and the costs of maintaining and operating the city’s sewage system.

Residential customers who use 20 units of water every three months now pay $35.45 and pay $30 more for sewer. If the new rates are imposed, those fees would go to about $38.80 and $39, respectively.

However, Kent sent out additional information late Tuesday morning to note the ordinance also would establish a $13.31 meter charge every three months to cover the costs of replacing meters.

 The total increase for a family using 20 units of water would be $25.66 every three months, or $102.64 in higher costs each year.

That would be a 39 percent increase when the meter fees are added to the proposed rate increases.

Council members opened Monday night's meeting for any public comments on the proposed 2009-10 city budget. Nobody spoke about the spending plan, which calls for $31.2 million in spending in the general fund, compared with $29.5 million in the current budget.

Nearly $700,000 of that increase is because of a 27th biweekly pay period for most of the city's workers.

A special meeting of the council will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Quincy Regional Emergency Services Training Facility at 18th and Seminary Road. City department heads will brief council members and answer questions about their department budgets.

The city's sales tax receipts for January were reported at $613,829.46. The receipts last January were $625,011.57. Mayor John Spring said the 1.8 percent drop in January follows a December collection that rose 5.5 percent.

"Even though our numbers have declined slightly, they certainly are within the reasonable amount we would anticipate. Our December was an exceptional month for us, and we're hanging in there," Spring said.

Aldermen also approved an ordinance that will allow internally lit channel lettered signs in the central business district. Director of Planning Chuck Bevelheimer said externally lit channel lettered signs are not very effective or attractive. He said the change will allow businesses to either light individual letters from within or backlight them.

The ordinance had been forwarded by the Quincy Plan Commission.

Alderman Raymond "Skip" Vahlkamp, D-6, expressed disappointment that the Belgian Hitch and Ansar Shrine groups will not participate in the Dogwood Parade after learning they would be charged $25 per unit to participate. The Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce sponsors the parade.

-- dwilson@whig.com/221-3372