By MARK BRASFIELD
Blytheville Courier News
Postponed a couple of times because of inclement weather, a meeting to discuss the additional $5 wastewater charge has been rescheduled for Wednesday.
The Blytheville City Council's Airport and Utilities Committee will meet at 3 p.m. Wednesday with a public forum slated to follow at 5 p.m. in the Municipal Courtroom.
Expected to be on hand for the meetings are Brad Davis of SSR Ellers and representatives from bond-holder Stephens, Inc., the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission and Northeast Arkansas Planning & Development.
The public is encouraged to attend and express their concerns about the $5 charge, which is being used to pay for sewer upgrades mandated by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality.
Davis and others will discuss other options to pay for the required $2.5 million in sewer work. The city of Blytheville has agreed to budget $500,000 a year for the next five years to pay for the work.
At the January meeting, the Council chose to pay for the work by putting a $5 fee on the wastewater portion of the water bill. Other options include a the state Revolving Loan Fund program and refinancing the current revenue bonds.
mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com