By KAREN MIKOLS

kmikols@dailynews.net

During Thursday night's Hays City Commission meeting, commissioner paved the way for new sewer rates.

Commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance that will allow the commission to set sewer rates by resolution.

"Upgrades to the sewage treatment plant will cost about $21 million," City Manager Toby Dougherty said. "It will require bonds, so a comprehensive sewer rate study was conducted by our finance department. And what was found that our rates will not be sufficient to cover these bonds."

Commissioners discussed the increase, which could be 3 percent in 2009 and 9 percent in 2018, but will discuss more options at the June 5 work session. Another option more palatable to commissioners is a 4-percent increase.

"Unfortunately, we need to have some sort of rate increase," Mayor Barbara Wasinger said. "I felt a 9-percent increase in 2018 is a big jump for our citizens."

Director of Finance Kim Rupp said the 9 percent is only a projection.

"We were taking into consideration worst case scenario," he said. "It is our intent to analyze this as often as you direct or we feel necessary to be sure the 3 percent annually is necessary."

Avoiding a large increase is the goal, but sewer rates have not increased since 1995.

"Where I came from, rates were ignored for about 20 years and went from $13 to almost $40 a month," Dougherty said. "That's what we want to avoid."