Heppner gazette-times., August 30, 2023, Page 7, Image 7

Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 30, 2023 -- SEVEN
Lexington town council meeting
-Continued from PAGE ONE erybody has a different
Other proposed im-
provements include a new
water transmission line to
serve the town, replacement
of undersized lines, elim-
ination of dead-end lines
for improved system cir-
culation and water quality,
and replacement of existing
asbestos piping.
Construction alone for
the project is estimated to
cost more than $2.7 million,
with a total project price tag
at nearly $3.8 million.
Along with the need
for more water, the Lex-
ington Town Council also
discussed the town’s water
billing system and policies.
Earlier this year, the
council and staff deter-
mined there was a need to
clarify the town’s policies
regarding billing and late
fees. At the Aug. 8 meeting,
Lexington Town Councilor
Bobbi Gordon said she also
thought the billing tier is
too low.
The current water base
rate is $50 for the first
10,000 gallons used. Ad-
ditional tiered rates apply
beyond that—an additional
$8.50 for the second 10,000
gallons, $10.50 for the third
10,000 gallons, etc.
“I think we really
should look at that again,”
Gordon said. “You’re
getting a whole bunch of
10,000 gallons of water in
addition for not very much
money.”
She added that it might
not be too much even to
double the tier rates.
“I just think we should
look at it a little closer,”
she said.
Lexington Town Re-
corder Veronica Ferguson
added that the tiers listed
were what was inputted in
the billing software, but
there was still confusion.
“What I’m confused
about is when everybody
over 10,000 gallons…ev-
rate,” she said. “All dif-
ferent kinds of numbers.
So how are these being
calculated?”
She then said she need-
ed to “test run” some of
the bills and make sure the
amounts were being calcu-
lated correctly.
“The thing is, we’re
really cheap on our water,
and I think we should look
at it,” Gordon said again.
“We’re not going to
raise the base rate for a
while. I know we’ve set
it up to $50,” responded
Ferguson, “and so it’s really
just the excess that needs to
be assessed.”
Gordon also pointed
out that the town could
make quite a bit more mon-
ey if those with excessive
water use paid more. In-
creased income could come
in handy if the town ends up
having to repay loans for
well drilling.
Lexington Town Coun-
cilor Katie Imes suggested
that higher rates might also
make residents more aware
of their water usage.
“We only have one well
in Lexington, and every
summer we face the same
issue, and that is a water
shortage,” said Imes.
“People need water,”
she added, “and we want to
make sure it’s always avail-
able. If it’s super cheap and
nobody’s conscious of the
situation we’re in, people
aren’t going to be mindful
if it’s free-flowing.”
“If you watch that well
go from 310 gallons per
hour down to 198 gallons
per hour by the end of the
day, you’ll know that we’re
grounding that water table,”
Lexington Town Councilor
Bill Beard agreed.
Lexington Mayor Juli
Kennedy noted that heat
was usually the concern,
but this year the town also
had some electrical issues
with the well.
As if to highlight the
council’s concern, the town
announced water use re-
strictions due to a critical
water shortage on Aug. 14.
A statement on the town’s
website said the well was
running at full capacity, yet
well production had slowed
to about 50 percent.
The town asked res-
idents to cut back on un-
necessary water use such
as washing cars and filling
pools. As of Aug. 22, the
water use restriction was
still in effect.
The next meeting of the
Lexington Town Council
will be Sept. 12 at 6 p.m.
The council will hold a
work session with Ander-
son Perry and Associates
prior to the meeting at 5
p.m.
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Symphony
seeks singers
for holiday
music fest
WWW.HEPPNER.NET
The Oregon East Sym-
phony invites all singers in
the community to join its
chorale for OES’s annual
Holiday Music Festival.
This year the chorale
will be joining the sympho-
ny in performing Handel’s
“The Messiah’” at the Vert
Auditorium on Sunday,
Dec. 10, and at the Hermis-
ton High School auditorium
on Wednesday, Dec.13.
Weekly chorale re-
hearsals begin Monday,
Sept. 18, at 7 p.m., taking
place at the Pendleton First
Presbyterian Church, 201
SW Dorian Ave, Pend-
leton, OR. Auditions to
join are not required and
vocal scores are available
to borrow.
For more information
on the chorale or the Hol-
iday Music Festival, visit
www.OregonEastSympho-
ny.org or contact the office
at 541-276-0320 or info@
oregonEastSymphony.org.
Hopeful Saints will be hosting
Laser Tag Games with inflatable
bunkers for area youth thanks to
generous funding from MCURD
August 5th 5-7 pm in the Hopeful Saints Yard
August 13th 2-4 at the lower field behind
DollarGeneral
September 2nd
5-7 pm in the
Hopeful Saints yard
Matches will be 20 minutes with
10 minute breaks