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R.I. Water and Sewer Rate Study

After spending a lot of money upgrading its water and waste water systems, Rock Island wants to know if it's charging the correct rates. Monday night, the city council approved hiring Stanley Consultants from Muscatine to do a complete audit of both systems.

Public Works Director Mike Bartels says the city reviews its rates each year, but has never had anyone else perform an in-depth study of rates, revenue, expenses, and debt, plus their possible future needs. 

"Overall we've made tens of millions of dollars into our infrastructure but we've never done an in-depth analysis of our rates. We feel it's important to review those after making those investments and make sure that we are charging the appropriate costs."

Bartels says Rock Island's rates for water and waste water service are competitive with other cities in this region.

Stanley Consultants will be paid 37,000 dollars for its work, and the study should be done by early November. 

A native of Detroit, Herb Trix began his radio career as a country-western disc jockey in Roswell, New Mexico (“KRSY, your superkicker in the Pecos Valley”), in 1978. After a stint at an oldies station in Topeka, Kansas (imagine getting paid to play “Louie Louie” and “Great Balls of Fire”), he wormed his way into news, first in Topeka, and then in Freeport Illinois.