KERENS–After an emergency reading, Kerens City Council gave approval May 10 to raise sanitation rates across the board for residents and businesses for an overall total of 4%, which matches the rate increase of the city’s service provider.
City Administrator Katherine Combs said the price hike will be effective June 1 and will recoup the city’s costs of a Republic Services increase. Republic Services said its increase is tied to the consumer price index (CPI), council members were told.
Currently, Kerens residents pay $13.75 for one trash container monthly, which will increase to $14.30. For Kerens commercial properties, one bin currently costs $23.25, which will increase to $24.20 monthly. Additional bins will go from $7 monthly to $7.25 for both residential and commercial customers.
The council also approved after a public hearing to issue a specific-use permit to allow mixed-use zoning for a property along West State Highway 31 which had been zoned solely as commercial. Dr. Lary Reed said he plans to put a two-bedroom, one-bath apartment in his father’s former business building, with a larger attached area being set aside for commercial space. Reed said the shop space in the rear of the facility would continue to be used for that purpose.
“It’s dad’s (Tillman Reed) building, I don’t want to sell it, it just has emotional feelings and it’s just sitting there,” Reed said. “I’d like for it to be used for something, for the good of Kerens and also to produce some income.”
In other business, the council:
• Approved allowing a water customer who was billed for 36,000 gallons worth of February usage totaling $434.56 to continue paying the remaining balance but to waive late penalties.
• Tabled canvassing May 7 special election results to continue Kerens’ quarter-cent sales and use tax to fund street maintenance because the official results hadn’t been received.