The Kinmundy City Council Thursday night voted to raise water and sewer rates.
The board voted to pass along the two-percent water rate increase they are receiving from the Gateway Regional Water Company. Sewer rates will go up 15 percent. City officials note this is the first increase since 1991 and the sewer fund is currently running at a deficit. This should allow them to reach the breakeven point and have money to make some repairs.
The board set city-wide yard sales for Saturday, June 3rd. The following Saturday, June 10th, will be city-wide cleanup when residents with no longer wanted items will be able to take them to a city-provided dumpster. Saturday, June 24th, will be Homecoming Cleanup day where residents are being asked to join together and clear litter from city streets.
There were 28 in attendance at a recent public forum on how the old city lake property should be used. Some of the ideas included a sportsmen’s club, walking trails, and camping. The board looked at a bid to have the lake property cleared of brush from the lake to Illinois Route 37 but tabled the idea because they did not have a way to keep up the property once it was cleared. For now, the gate to the property will remain locked.
The board received an opinion from their attorney that there could be video surveillance cameras in the library. The library board had been reluctant to have the cameras for privacy reasons, but the city attorney says no one using a public library has guaranteed rights to privacy.
The board approved a new 20-year franchise with Ameren Illinois.
