The Cobden and Beachburg locations of the Whitewater Bromley Community Health Centre will have their water and sewer rates reduced to reflect small commercial units instead of large commercial units.
The discussion on the water and sewer rates occurred at the Oct. 14 environmental services committee meeting.
Environmental services manager Steve Hodson recalled a consultant was hired to review the water and sewer rates and to come up with new ones.
However, it was previous to him taking over the water and sewer works, so he does not know how the rates were determined.
He received a letter from Lanark Health Services, of which WBCHC is a part of, asking that the water and sewer rates be reviewed and possibly changed from large commercial to small commercial.
It was noted the health unit is being charged for water usage more than the local car wash.
“That consultant should have been fired,” said Mayor Hal Johnson.
While there was some concern the idea might be to review all commercial rates, it was decided only to review the water rates for the two buildings.
“They only have one or two washrooms,” said Councillor Chris Olmstead. “I can’t see a lot of water usage.”
However, he did add, he’s never been inside, so he’s not 100 per cent sure of the water usage.
He was surprised to find the health unit is being charged more than the restaurant on Hwy and a car wash.
Reeve Terry Millar said, “We are correcting a wrong. I don’t think correcting a wrong is adjusting all rates. We are dealing with just one issue.”
When the committee agreed to the adjustment, Councillor Daryl McLaughlin questioned where the shortfall will come to fill the financial gap.
“That’s quite a shortfall,” he said. “That’s $1,000 over two facilities.”
It was later discovered, the shortfall was closer to $4,000.
However, it was agreed the newer rate for the two sites wouldn’t come into effect until Jan. 1, 2016.
