From the City of Aberdeen:
CITY OF ABERDEEN WATER AND SEWER
Changes to billing rates
Aberdeen residents will see an increase in their next water and sewer rates. For the city staff living in Aberdeen too, we aren’t happy about the prospects either. However, here’s some of reasoning behind the changes:
Sewer Rates: Aberdeen’s waste water plant is nearly 35 years old. Not only is the plant aging, as with any complex infrastructure, there are regulations, improvements and the need to continue safely and effectively serving the public. We’ve reached a point where it’s essential to replace several pieces of large, expensive equipment as well as make some long overdue repairs and general improvements throughout the plant.
Water Rates: You may recall in 2015 Harford County raised county-wide water rates with a plan for increases in each of the next 5 years. We’re three year into that process with Aberdeen purchasing a lot of water from the County. And just like with the waste water plant, our water system is aging which drives the need for additional upkeep and expansion as the city grows.
The State of Maryland requires water and sewer systems to be financially self-sustaining, meaning we don’t use tax dollars to operate and maintain those activities. While the accounts are in the “black,” there are no excesses in Aberdeen’s water and sewer funds. We’re making every effort to keep water and sewer rates as low as possible yet provide safe, clean products in a predicable manner. Like with your household budget, the cost of materials, in our case chemicals, electricity, equipment and manpower continues to rise. Monitor how much water you use and make an effort to economize. You’ll see a noticeable difference on your quarterly bill. If you have questions or suggestions give us a call at City Hall, (410) 272-1600.
Thanks to former Mayor Michael Bennett and his willing suck ups on the City Council for negotiating this horrible deal for the City of Aberdeen, where it is required to purchase “X” amount of gallons per day from Harford County Government (whether it needs it or not, and they don’t!). Now, every time that Harford County Government raises their rates, the City of Aberdeen has an excuse to raise theirs!
Foul ball Michael Bennett, Sandra Landbeck, Ruth Ann Young and Bruce Garner!
Who ran on the reduction of tax and water bills during the last election? None other than the big winner Mayor Mcgrady. Mayor Mcgrady convinced all of those voters that the water and tax bills would go down if he were in office, he’s there, and now the increase. Fact is Mcgrady said what the voters wanted to hear, not what was capable of being done. It’s almost as sad sad as the I will, I will, I will promises that he made, either knowingly or unknowingly, could never deliver on. A part time mayor and a part time council with a full time city manager, who I finally met and was not impressed with, are the make up that prevents all good things from coming to Aberdeen. The 3-2 partisanship, the behind closed doors sessions, and the lack of understanding between legislating and officiating are all daily issues that take up way too much time and effort instead of everyone agreeing to focus on 3 major issues and correcting them. Bennett nay have signed a crappy deal when it came to water purchasing but that has nothing to do with replacing equipment, paying salaries to operate, and state and federal requirements. Bennett didn’t sign any agreement on that but the current mayor made a promise to lower those rates, more of a lie, because he either knew that repairs and equipment and such cost money, or unknowingly made that promise which would just be an example of stupidity on his part.
I’m having a hard time finding a reason to stay in Aberdeen. The property taxes are already ridiculous. We have a stupid “trash sticker” system that makes no sense and is invonvenient as hell. Now the water/sewer is going up? I don’t mind paying more for nice things, but Aberdeen doesn’t actually have anything nice. My family and I find ourselves traveling to Bel Air or Havre de Grace for places to eat or entertainment. My kids all play sports outside of here because the Parks and Rec program hasn’t progressed at all in 30 years. Same defunct soccer and baseball fields I had growing up.
Aberdeen lacks any interesting infrastructure for people out of town to come here and spend money. And those of us that do live here go out of town. Ripken Stadium has the potential to be a real attention grabber but we aren’t putting any business around it. In the meantime there seems to be this push to turn Main Street into some small business haven where people will want to walk around with their families. You can’t have that AND the Probation Office and Methadone Clinic all in the same location. And let’s not even get into the current traffic/construction issues.
Aberdeen needs a to figure out what it wants to be. In the meantime I think I’ll start looking to move elsewhere. We all pay this town too much money to be barely mediocre.
I actually like the “trash sticker” system.
Pay as you go, not pay a quarterly fee regardless if you dont need pickup one week (you’re not getting comp’d) and hope they (private company) picks up your refuse and recycling.
It wouldn’t be so bad if we weren’t already paying out the ass for our property taxes. It should be one or the other. Not both.