MONTICELLO — The Village of Monticello will host a public hearing tomorrow night at 6 p.m. regarding a number of proposed local laws, including one that would increase residential water and sewer rates.

A similar local law that would have increased the quarterly water and sewer rates along with commercial sanitation rates failed to pass during Monticello’s regular board meeting on October 6.

Local Law #6 of 2021 to amend chapter A290 of the Village Code proposed to raise quarterly water rates from $52.25 to $100.69.

It would have also raised quarterly sewer rates from $43.11 to $84.58 and increased the quarterly rates for commercial sanitation from $352.80 to $585.

Village Mayor George Nikolados and Trustee Michael Banks voted in favor of local law #6 earlier this month while trustees Rochelle Massey and Carmen Rue voted against it. Trustee Charlie Sabatino was not present and the resolution failed to pass.

“Since being elected I've never seen so much of an increase in water or sanitation,” Trustee Rue said about the proposed increase.

“We have a new [sewer] plant coming in and we’re doing major improvements on water mains. It’s quite necessary,” explained Village Mayor George Nikolados. “As we expand our service and more houses and communities are built, it will come down again. I don’t see these charges staying this high for more than a year, maybe two.”

Nikolados went on to explain how the village no longer gets the free recycling service that it once used to.

Village Attorney Michael Davidoff suggested that they separate commercial sanitation from the conversation about water and sewer rates.

“Commercial sanitation is where we’re really hurting,” Davidoff said. “We’re losing lots of money from sanitation because the rates are too low.”

Department of Public Works Superintendent Jay Sherb explained that the charge for a single commercial dumpster breaks down to $27.14 a week, while it costs the village $25 at the dump.

“Two dollars a week is very difficult to cover our costs,” Sherb said.

The commercial sanitation rate increase was passed separately with all those present except Trustee Rue voting in favor.

Former village mayor Gordon Jenkins lamented that more village residents did not attend the public hearing on October 6.

“You have a big increase like that and you [only] have a handful of people at a public hearing in this village,” Jenkins said. “That’s the only reason why I'm here. I don’t like to be a part of a system that I don’t like and sit there and don’t say anything.”