Huntington City has public hearing on utility rates

By GARY ARRINGTON Staff Writer

A public hearing on utility rates highlighted the November meeting of the Huntington City Council. The city proposed raising the rates for water and sewer a total of $7 a month to build the utility fund for the day that major expenses would be needed.
Other Emery county cities were looked at along with the situation in Helper to assist in the evaluation of what is really needed. After careful consideration along with several residents speaking for the raise along with against a big raise, the Council settled on a lower figure. After leaving the public hearing, the Council voted to raise the rates a total of $3 starting in January 2013 and then increasing by two percent each year after that. This will be a $1.50 for water and another $1.50 for sewer.
In other business, the Council approved the issuance of five business licenses. Energy Recycling Technologies is locating in the North Huntington Business Park, the old gypsum plant, and should be up and running the first of the year. Moments to Cherish, a scrapbooking store, is located on the corner of 100 North and Main Street. Castle Country Auto, an auto body facility, is located temporarily at Ward’s. D3 Raingutters is a new contracting service specializing in the installation of rain gutters. Rhotheta USA is a local business that converted a temporary license in to a permanent one. Rhotheta sells radio direction finders to the US Coast Guard, the Civil Air Patrol and local law enforcement agencies throughout North and South America, Asia and Australia.
The City also adopted the fees for building permits since they started issuing their own permits the first of October. The city has hired a building inspector that should be more responsive to the citizens of the city.
The city also adopted new city ordinances dealing with vicious dogs and with loose livestock. The vicious dog ordinance makes it mandatory for owners of dogs so labeled to take their dog to a citizenship class before they are free to return to the city. The loose livestock ordinance makes the owners of said livestock liable for any damages from free roaming animals.