By DEBORAH GERTZ HUSAR
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
PITTSFIELD, Ill. -- Water rates are going up in Pittsfield.
The rate will increase $7 per month per customer in January, and another $7 per month in January 2011, to cover the city's share of the cost of a $9.3 million project to build new supply wells, a water treatment plant and service lines.
With the increase, approved Tuesday, the minimum bill for water service will be $16.71. The minimum bill for water and sewer service will be $23.18 per month.
"We know with the economy it will be tough on people, but at least we're not doing the full $14 at once," City Clerk Cindy Prentice said.
Thanks to grants and zero-interest 20-year loans from federal stimulus money and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for the project, the rate hike "is less than it was going to be," Prentice said.
The increase applies to water usage beginning in January, with the bill due in February, Prentice said, and the city will continue to have the consumer index fee increase in May of each year.
Also Tuesday, aldermen finalized an agreement giving the Zoe Preservation Society three years to work toward preserving the historic theater without worrying it will be sold.
The city and ZPS already had a verbal agreement, with the same conditions, but wanted something in writing.
Under the agreement, ZPS can terminate the building lease with 14 days written notice and has the right of first refusal if someone wants to buy the theater.
"That's really their goal anyway -- to fix it up enough to get it sold," Prentice said.
What to do with the building, which opened as a theater Sept. 13, 1951, and closed in the 1980s, has been a question for several years. The city has said it won't fix up the theater beyond the work done in 2004 to stabilize some support beams and put on a new roof.
ZPS formed in 2008 to breathe new life into the shuttered theater.
The group focused first on the theater's exterior with fundraising for work on the marquee, front facade and to replace damaged art glass panels. When the exterior work is done, the society will begin replacing seats, the movie screen and carpet inside the theater.
-- dhusar@whig.com/221-3379
