WBR council raises fees for sewer service
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PORT ALLEN — West Baton Rouge Parish residents will be paying more for sewer services after the Parish Council approved Wednesday an increase in both fixed fees and costs per thousand gallons of water used.
Residential and commercial fees will increase from $8.50 to $10 and $30 to $40 per month respectively.
The cost per thousand gallons used will increase from $1.66 to $2.26 for both residential and commercial units. Residential units will not be charged for additional water use over 15,000 gallons.
Daryl Babin, parish utilities director, said the increase is meant to pull the parish sewer system out of a predicted loss of about $136,000 in the coming fiscal year.
Councilwoman Alethea Johnson said she does not want to continue to tax residents in Erwinville who are not getting good service from their recently constructed sewer system.
“My phone rings off the hook daily regarding sewer problems,” Johnson said. “Some people are not even connected to it yet, and those people who are connected are having problems.”
In other action, the council approved a new contract with its current health insurance provider, Humana Inc., which includes a 23 percent price increase and higher deductibles for parish employees.
The council opted for a plan with higher deductibles after hearing Humana’s initial bid of a 48 percent price increase. Deductibles will increase from $1,500 to $2,500 for single-person plans and from $3,000 to $5,000 for family plans.
Copay plan deductibles will increase from $1,500 to $3,000 for single-person plans and from $3,000 to $6,000 for family plans.
The council approved a contract with PBS&J Inc. to handle submissions of all Federal Emergency Management Agency paperwork related to Hurricane Gustav.
Parish President Riley “PeeWee” Berthelot said these experts will help the parish decipher complex FEMA regulations for submitting reimbursement forms. The service from PBS&J is eligible for FEMA reimbursement, he said.
Berthelot said this is the first time the parish has had a need for such a service.
“We had more damage than we can ever remember in the history of the parish, so it’s a little more than we can handle,” Berthelot said.
Residential and commercial fees will increase from $8.50 to $10 and $30 to $40 per month respectively.
The cost per thousand gallons used will increase from $1.66 to $2.26 for both residential and commercial units. Residential units will not be charged for additional water use over 15,000 gallons.
Daryl Babin, parish utilities director, said the increase is meant to pull the parish sewer system out of a predicted loss of about $136,000 in the coming fiscal year.
Councilwoman Alethea Johnson said she does not want to continue to tax residents in Erwinville who are not getting good service from their recently constructed sewer system.
“My phone rings off the hook daily regarding sewer problems,” Johnson said. “Some people are not even connected to it yet, and those people who are connected are having problems.”
In other action, the council approved a new contract with its current health insurance provider, Humana Inc., which includes a 23 percent price increase and higher deductibles for parish employees.
The council opted for a plan with higher deductibles after hearing Humana’s initial bid of a 48 percent price increase. Deductibles will increase from $1,500 to $2,500 for single-person plans and from $3,000 to $5,000 for family plans.
Copay plan deductibles will increase from $1,500 to $3,000 for single-person plans and from $3,000 to $6,000 for family plans.
The council approved a contract with PBS&J Inc. to handle submissions of all Federal Emergency Management Agency paperwork related to Hurricane Gustav.
Parish President Riley “PeeWee” Berthelot said these experts will help the parish decipher complex FEMA regulations for submitting reimbursement forms. The service from PBS&J is eligible for FEMA reimbursement, he said.
Berthelot said this is the first time the parish has had a need for such a service.
“We had more damage than we can ever remember in the history of the parish, so it’s a little more than we can handle,” Berthelot said.
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