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RENNSELAER - The city's Common Council unanimously voted to raise its water and sewer bills last week amid a public hearing influenced by a social media post and a notice that publicized inaccurate increases.
The Common Council, at its July 7 meeting, voted to raise the cost per 1,000 gallons of water use from $5.95 to $7.87 for residential customers. The change should reflect on residents' water and sewer bills as about a $60 increase per six-month billing cycle, according to Common Council Chairman Eric Endres.
During the meeting, several residents took the time to speak in opposition to the proposal, with some questioning why they had received a notice saying the council was considering raising water and sewer rates by a purported 70%, which is much larger than the actual increase of about 22%, according to Endres. At one point, Endres interjected as a resident was speaking to say the proposal would not be raising water bills 70%.
"It's definitely not 70%," Endres said.
Later in the meeting, council member Diane Dwyer addressed a notice that had been delivered to a resident, which indicated the council had already approved a 70% hike in water rates. Dwyer said the information contained within the notice was taken from a social media post and "whoever posted it was completely wrong." It is unclear who delivered the notice.
"It's bothersome to me because it scares people," Dwyer said.
In a Thursday interview, Andrew Kretzschmar, a Republican member of the common council, said the social media post came from his party.
"It was my people who put that out there and caused the confusion," Kretzschmar said.
On July 7, a Facebook account named City of Rensselaer Republican Committee made a post on the platform that read, in part: "On July 1st, the Common Council approved a massive increase in water and sewer charges. Residents are now looking at an increase of about 70% in the combined cost per 1,000 gallons." The account's operator did not respond to a request for comment seeking information about the 70% number.
When asked about the account, Democratic Mayor John DeFrancesco compared it to tabloid magazines.
"I have no faith or trust in that page," DeFrancesco said.
Deputy Water Commissioner Fran Welsh said the extra money brought in from the new rates would help the city update its meter system and keep up with the repairs of old water lines she said are breaking "continuously." The new rates will be reflected on the next billing cycle, according to the resolution passed last week.
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