Linn Aldermen on April 30 approved increasing water and sewer rates.

Aldermen approved two separate ordinances to make these changes. Ordinance No. 2024-06 amended the city code raising the water rates with the new rates going into effect May 1.  Domestic in-city customers rates will increase from $15.50 per month for a 1,000-gallon minimum to $16.25 per month for the same minimum usage.

Usage over 1,000 gallons for domestic in-city customers will increase from $.006625 per gallon to $.006750 per gallon.

Domestic out-of-city customers will also see an increase from $18.00 per month for 1,000 gallons of usage to $19.80 per month for the same amount of water. The charge for water used over 1,000 gallons will also increase for these customers going from $.006625 per gallon to $.007125 per gallon.  Commercial in-city rates will increase from $15.50 per month for 1,000 gallons of usage to $16.25 per month for the same amount of water. Customer usage over 1,000 gallons has also increased from $.006625 per gallon to $.007125 per gallon.

Commercial out-of-city customers will see a monthly increase from $18 per month for 1,000 gallons of water to $19.80 for the same minimum monthly usage. The charge for usage over 1,0000 gallons will increase from $.006625 per gallon to $.007125 per gallon. The ordinance also established a rate of $11 per 1,000 gallons of water for water from the city with a truck or tank wagon equipment.

Ordinance No. 2024-07 amends the city’s sewer rates with the new rates also going into effect on May 1. The ordinance establishes an increase for commercial in-city accounts from $17 per month to $19 per month for up to 1,000 gallons of discharge, usage over 1,000 gallons per month will increase from $.0675 per gallon to $.008 per gallon. Domestic in-city customers will see an increase from $17 per month for 1,000 gallons of usage to $17.75 per month for the same gallons of usage.

The charge for domestic in-city customers will increase from $.00675 per gallon to $.008 per gallon for usage over the minimum. Commercial out-of-city customers will see an increase from $87 per month to $90 per month with an increase for usage over the minimum from $.0065 per gallon to $.0075 per gallon.

Domestic out-of-city customers will see a monthly increase of $24 per month for the 1,000-gallon minimum to $25 per month for the same usage. The cost per gallon over minimum will increase from $.00775 per gallon to $.00825 per gallon for domestic out-of-city customers.  The flat sewer rate will increase from $33.86 per month to $35.55 per month.

In other business, the Linn Board of Aldermen approved election results from the April election with both Steve Boeckmann and Christopher Jaegers retaining their seats on the board. Boeckmann received 47 votes and Jaegers received 63. Both aldermen took the Oath of Office.

Citizen concerns

Resident Crystal Troesser addressed the Board of Aldermen regarding issues she is having at her house on Fifth Street.

“I’m the one with the ongoing gurgling toilet and dirty water smell,” Troesser said. “I’m sure that you are well aware I have spoke with DNR (Missouri Department of Natural Resources) and their lead investigator has spoken with me.”

Troesser noted that City Clerk Carrie Grellner has been very friendly and helpful, but the DNR agent had indicated to her that he could not get a meeting scheduled with the mayor.

“I have not gotten any requests for a meeting,” Mayor Dwight Massey responded.

Grellner noted that DNR had requested a letter from the city as to what they were working on but had not requested a meeting.

“I just know what he said to me was that he had requested a meeting, and he hadn’t gotten a response,” Troesser said.

Massey repeated that he had not gotten a request for a meeting with DNR. Troesser said that she expected the city to do what ever needs to be done.

“Two nights ago, I was left with the angry gurgling toilet sound and the dirty water smell again,” Troesser said. “We just need to be getting to the bottom of what’s going on. We’ve been dealing with this for two years and it’s a shame when you have a new construction home and you’re doing everything you are supposed to do, and you still have ongoing issues. Obviously, my patience has been worn thin, very thin.”

Troesser noted she and her husband have been documenting when the sound and smell occur, and it is typically after there has been at least an inch of rain.

Troesser said that she has installed the back flow device that was given to her by Larry Fredrich, former utilities supervisor, but that has not solved the problem.

“My next concern is the city was provided an easement for the French drain that is full of cinders and (expletive deleted) and it needs to be cleaned out,” Troesser said. “Every time it rains the French drain gets full of cinders. You guys have the easement, so I think the maintenance should fall on the city.”

Troesser noted that this was a secondary complaint, and she is mostly concerned about the problems with her plumbing and sewer.

“I don’t know what else I can do at this point,” Troesser said. “I’ve reached out to DNR, and I know they are very much aware of the situation. I’ll keep taking this to the next level if I have to.”

Massey said that cleaning out the French drain was not a problem and could be put on the schedule.

“But some of this is the first time that I’ve heard about it,” Massey said.

“I’m concerned by that,” Troesser said. “I know my dad has spoken to you about it because you dismissed it with ‘you need back flow valves.’ I’ve made several complaints with Carrie.”

Massey said that he had discussed with Troesser’s dad whether Troesser’s house was vented correctly, and her dad did not know if there were vents put in. He admitted that he had not been in Troesser’s house.

“Our house is new construction,” Troesser said. “Dan Hostetler built our house, so I’m sure that everything is vented correctly.”

“I don’t know where the vents are or how they were installed but that’s what keeps this from occurring,” Massey said.

“But obviously that’s not the case and I find it ironic that every time the creek rises, we have issues,” Troesser said. “Obviously there is an issue somewhere other than on our end.”

Troesser noted that when she spoke to DNR she had mentioned that there was a manhole that had overflowed by Maguire Park last year and that she had a picture. The DNR agent seemed surprised by this and noted it should have been reported.

Grellner said that the incident had been reported to DNR and that the city had followed all the guidelines and regulations after the event.

“I’m being as polite about this as I can be,” Troesser said. “It’s been two years and at this point I’m kinda over it and something has to be done. I hope it is now officially noted in the minutes that you’ve been notified.”

With that, Troesser walked out of the meeting.

Later in the meeting, Alderman Bill Turner who has been working with Troesser to try to find the issue with her sewer system said that he had asked Troesser to take the cap off the clean out to help pinpoint the problem. Troesser had texted Turner back saying that her husband would not let that happen.

“We can’t do anything unless we know why the back flow device isn’t working,” Turner said. “I don’t see any relation between the creek and the sewer except for the rain.”

Grellner is going to look back through the city’s records to see if she can find the model number for the back flow device that Fredrich would have given her.

“The back flow devices we have should be cleaned every six months,” said Aleks Rowinski, a city utilities worker.

“If we can find any literature on the back flow device to pass on to them that would be good,” Turner said. “Maintenance should be their responsibility. I don’t understand why the vent doesn’t vent.”

Massey noted that he believes that the problem is the vent and that he will talk with them again and try to get to the bottom of the issue.

Citizen concerns Part 2

Resident Jerry Williams was also at the meeting and was concerned about the ditch by his house.

“I talked to Aleks about the ditch and all I’ve been hearing is a lot of concerns about bringing that big, huge backhoe up the hill to dig out the ditch,” Williams said. “According to what I’ve been told that wall is not wide enough to get through from the top.”

Williams asked if smaller equipment could be rented to work on the ditch.

“The discussions I’ve had with Aleks have been about timing and weather,” Massey said. “I know they are finishing up a couple of projects so it’s something we could start pretty quick. If we need to get another machine, we will.”

Williams noted that he would need 24 hours’ notice to move his camper out of the way.

Massey said that it would not be a problem to notify him.

“We’ve been lucky so far that we haven’t had any big rains that could take that wall out,” Williams said. “But even with the rains we have had, since you were down there, there is a lot more wash out and that is just going to continue.”

“It’s not going to heal itself,” Massey agreed.

“That ditch is completely stopped up where the wall collapsed,” Williams continued. “If we get another rain like we did last year I’ll probably lose at least two more trees.”

Massey noted that Williams would probably lose a couple of trees when the city is working on the ditch.

“I just think it needs to be done sooner rather than later but I understand schedules,” Williams said.

“We were hoping to have it done already but had constraint with other projects and the weather has held them up,” Massey said. “They are trying to get there.”

Williams again brought up the concern of using the big backhoe.

“It’s manageable,” Massey said. “Aleks is working hard to learn the equipment but there are a few tricks I know that he may not, and I can help him with that.”

Massey also said that they could ask for help from one of the heavy equipment instructors at Linn State Technical College.

Williams asked if Massey had done anything regarding the trash that was coming from the apartments that are above his property.

“I spoke to the trash company, and they assured me they are going to try to work on it,” Massey said.

“What kind of trying are they doing?” Williams asked.

Massey noted that they are going to try to pick up any trash that is spilled around the dumpster and place the dumpster so that the lid can be easily closed.

Williams said that trash constantly blows out of the dumpster on to his property.

“I think they ought to put a fence around the dumpster,” Williams said. “I don’t know what I can do as a homeowner but what I do know is that none of that trash in the ditch is mine or my neighbors, it’s all coming from the dumpsters.”

Massey noted that he will see what he can do by talking to the trash company again and the apartment building manager.