Sanitation District votes to increase rates
April Ellis
Herald Staff
The Mercer County Sanitation District is looking to stay on top of the wholesale sewer rate increase that went up 38 percent from the City of Harrodsburg last fall. While the Mercer County Fiscal Court did fund the district $60,000 to cover the shortfall created by the increase, they are still forced to add a cost of living increase of 4.9 percent starting with the July billing cycle.
The County ordinances allow for a one-time annual cost of living increase on rates for the sanitation district. Attorney for the district, Larry Catlett, explained the rate of increase had to be based on an index and could not be an arbitrary number set by the board. The consumer price index (CPI) for cost of living increase in the state of Kentucky is 4.9 percent.
“Raise it or go under,” said Mercer County Sanitation District Executive Director Mike Sanford. “We need the money to be able to operate.”
