Flowery Branch councilman questions new water rates

FLOWERY BRANCH - Flowery Branch City Council Wednesday approved an increase in water rates, but the vote on that resolution was not unanimous.

Councilmen Craig Lutz and Chris Fetterman voted no; Lutz said the new rate structure would have new inside city customers paying as much as 45 percent more than old customers.

He said that’s not fair, and requested one standard rate for everyone.

“And the reason I say that is because you basically have two people who are living next door to each other who are paying two dramatically different rates,” Lutz said. “In that particular case, looking at the base water rate, you’re basically saying a new resident in Flowery Branch is the same as somebody who lives outside of Flowery Branch.”

City Manager Bill Andrew explained that if that standard rate went into effect now, older customers would pay much more. Their water rate is going up more than 20 percent; a standard rate would double that increase.

Andrew said Council would take the next rate structure step next year with a standard rate for everyone who lives inside the city limits.

Andrew added that anticipated growth is driving the water rate increases despite the current economic downturn.

"We've almost looked at it as a benefit to the city in that we've had time to grow the infrastructure; we know that everything's going to start back up," Andrew said. "We know there's a $15-million redevelopment here in downtown wanting to happen."
"There is growth that has been happening and there's growth that's on the horizon."

RECALLING TRAGEDY, RECOGNIZING VALOR

City Council recalled a fiery, tragic morning in their city last December and witnessed an award to a police officer who prevented it from being more tragic.

Police Chief Gerald Lanich presented Officer Brian Buffington with the department’s Life Saver Award for his action in alerting sleeping residents to a raging house fire on Ashmore Court.

"With that in mind I don't know what else you could do to deserve the Life Saver Award, which we are presenting to him today," Chief Lanich said.

Chief Lanich said Buffington attempted to rescue another person who perished in the flames.
Lanich also credited Buffington and other officers with solving a series of school burglaries that occurred recently in Hall, Gwinnett, Fulton and Barrow Counties.

Chief Lanich also received a locater system to trace missing people from Linda Buffington, president of the Gainesville Pilot Club.

GOLD AWARDS

The Flowery Branch Water Department received two Gold Awards from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals.

Sandy Smith, representating the Association, said the awards were for the water and wastewater categories.

He said for the past year Flowery Branch has had no non-compliance issues in either department.