City may create new water rate class for commercial properties

[text-blocks id=”credit_times”] An ordinance introduced Monday by the City Council would create a new class of water rate for commercial properties. Currently commercial properties pay $1.55 per thousand gallons, the same as homeowners. With the new class comes a new rate of $3.28. Currently there is a residential and industrial class only.

Marty Wielgos, sanitary district manager, said it’s a way to raise revenue.

“We’re missing a class and it’s the commercial class,” he said.

If approved by the council at its Sept. 22 meeting, the rate would go into effect Oct. 1.

In other news the council will hold city budget hearings at 9 a.m Sept. 20* in council chambers at City Hall. The public is welcome to attend. The council also will hold a public hearing and will vote on the city budget at 6 p.m. during its regular meeting Sept. 22. Included in the proposed budget are 2 percent raises for all city employees.

The council also gave final approval to a resolution it passed in August designating the area where Munster Steel is relocating as an economic revitalization area. It’s a preliminary step for Munster Steel to apply for a personal property tax abatement. Munster Steel’s new location is at West Point Plaza Industrial Park. It’s moving from 45th Street and Calumet Avenue in Munster.

“It’s a great project for the 2nd District,” Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said. “We’re all proud of Munster Steel being here.”

Munster Steel officials plan to begin moving heavy equipment Monday from their Munster location to Hammond. It will take four to six weeks to move eight pieces of equipment that weigh 20 tons each.