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Century’s New Mayor Wants To Raise Rates For Water, Garbage And Gas
January 24, 2017
Century’s new mayor says the town needs to raise rates for water, gas and garbage because the town is financially bleeding.
“We need to look at how we do business,” Henry Hawkins said during a Monday night council meeting.
The council approved Hawkin’s request for a new water meter fee. Currently, it costs the town $130 to install a new water meter for a new account. The town will begin charging a $150 fee — in addition to the normal $150 deposit — for new water meters. New water accounts at a location that already has a meter won’t pay the new $150 fee.
Hawkins said he want to eliminate regular sanitation pickups of anything that is not household garbage, limbs or bagged leaves. The town currently picks up bulky items such as couches and appliances for free, but the mayor says that service loses money and needs to be fee based.
“We are shooting ourselves in the foot doing it for free,’ he said.
“They are just going to drive it (discarded furniture) around the corner and dump it,” resident Helen Mincy said. “So what are going to do? Leave it there or pick it up?”
The council has set a 6 p.m. workshop on March 20 to discuss the rate increases.
Pictured top: Century Mayor Henry Hawkins. Pictured below: Council members Kevin Stead, Ann Brooks and Sandra McMurray Jackson listen to Hawkins Monday night. NorthEScambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
27 Responses to “Century’s New Mayor Wants To Raise Rates For Water, Garbage And Gas”
If the government is more burdensome than beneficial to the citizenry then it should be dissolved
It doesn’t matter who is the mayor in Century if the people doesn’t support him things can never be any better. I don’t see a thing that Mayor McCall did that made Century any better. If we are to rise up and be better we have to pull together and support each other. I think Mr. Hawkins wants Century to be better, but he will soon find out he can’t do anything if the people fight against him. To the Jay person that commented we were fools to vote him in, well I voted for him and I certainly am not a fool. I know everything he does is not going to be what we want but when did we ever have a mayor that was perfect? All you residents of Century that come on here with your negative comments need to go to the council meetings and have a chance to voice your opinions.
>>Does anybody have an idea of what the debt load this thriving metropolis carries? I know they co-signed a multi million dollar note for UWF, but what else do they owe?
They did not sign a “multi million dollar note for UWF”. To my knowledge they have a few hundred thousand in revenue bonds for a gas replacement project.
Does anybody have an idea of what the debt load this thriving metropolis carries? I know they co-signed a multi million dollar note for UWF, but what else do they owe?
Just let the county take care of things, the Centurions will be better off.
A politician wants money!?! No!
Husband and I are both disabled and living on fixed income like so many others, but when you stay on a tight budget, don’t wasteful spend and don’t live beyond your means, you can still afford to pay for important services such as garbage and bulk pick up, when there is financial assistance like ECUA offers to help out the Senior citizens and disabled customers. Not a free ride, just a helping hand!
I would think that is a good place to start in meeting your town’s people’s concerns, as something is much better than nothing!
Maybe the citizens of Century should vote to disband the town. Exactly what does the town provide that cannot be provided by a private entity?
I would hope that the council has enough smarts to keep new mayor in tact.!!!. Everyone wants to make a big splash!!! Make it in
FAVOR of the people. Our community is elderly and POOR. Perhaps the new mayor needs to be in touch with those who voted him into office. Somehow, most of us think we are smarter than anyone else. Get real…..check the facts of those who actually live here…..!!!
Some of these ‘free services’ are paid for with Taxes. So they aren’t free.
@justme
From what I read on the consumer confidence report. All they do is chlorinate it.
Does Century inject fluoride in drinking water?
How about growing your tax base? Get some businesses…at least
Create an environment favorable to it! Donald Trump came into office and automatically started making pro biz and pro job moves…afraid it’s down hill from here folks! Wish Barnes was still mayor….
The town of Century is dead and has been for a long time. No amount of new taxes will make any difference.
http://www.ecua.fl.gov/system/files/Cust%20Serv%20FY16/Residential%20Mainland-2016%20Rates.pdf
From ECUA website rates
Residential Security Deposits
(up to 1” meter size)
Water $21.50
Sewer $64.50
Residential Water Rates
Water rates consist of a minimum monthly
charge and a usage charge. The minimum
monthly fee is charged to all customers
having active service.
The minimum monthly charge for a single-
family residence is $11.59 plus $ 2.37 per thousand gallons of water used
.
Residential Wastewater Rates
The charge for wastewater service to
customers is a minimum monthly fee of
$13.91 which includes 2,000 gallons of
usage. Monthly usage in excess of 2,000
gallons is charged at the rate of $7.19 per thousand gallons.
Senior Citizen Rates
The ECUA offers two garbage rates for our senior citizen population of Escambia County
All Senior Citizens 65 years of age or older can qualify for the standard senior citizen
Monthly rate of $17.86 for garbage service by calling our Customer Service Center at 476-0480.
One 60 gallon container is provided.
.
A Senior Citizen Lifeline rate is available
for those that qualify for $10.15 per month for garbage service.
One 40 gallon
container is provided.
To qualify for the Lifeline Rate, please contact the Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging at
494-7100.
The Lifeline rate is also offered on monthly water and sewer charges:
Water
Minimum monthly rate $9.98
which includes 6,000 gallons of water. Any water
used over 6,000 gallons is $2.37 per thousand gallon.
Ecua charges 15 bucks a month,bulk pickup and limb pick up. Right out of the gate he raised taxes, maybe he should had lead off with let’s see if we can save money on this first. Not knocking the guy don’t know him but not a good way to start. People of century voted him in so good luck.
Allow the rate increase only if they remove fluoride and other non-essential chemicals.
I believe he is balancing the checkbook. No “business” should run in the red. He just got a crack at the books, excited to see what he and the new and existing council and staff and grant-writers achieve or attempt to. You can’t please all of the people all of the time. It is a new day in Century.
If he is reading this, I hope he is perhaps also looking into annexing areas to add into this “incorporation” and the board is doing some real work and research into this. I am.
I hope they all realize to allow dilapidated buildings to remain on the landscape it lowers the property values across the board and devalues our incorporation.
I believe he wants to be successful. I believe he has contacts and ideas, may not be what all the voters expected but he is at the helm.
I hope he is open to co coordinating things with Escambia Government. Just because we are in the boundaries of Century do not exclude us from being citizens of Escambia County. We pay our taxes there
@M in Bratt
Please (facts only) let us know the difference that ECUA would charge us. How much money would we save?
I know how to attempt to decertify our incorporation, I am not interested in this at this time. I still see the value based on the facts.
I think you think you sound smart. Prove it. If you are right than thank you for that information.
Anyone over there in Century missing McCall yet?!?
I agree Southern Mama. But, what they do is use prisoners to pick up the bulk trash, costing them only the wages of one employee! This is something the town has done for its residents for years to help!! Going up again on the water and sewer? Do I smell a raise for our new Mayor in the forecast? Welcome to the changes of our town. Should have kept Freddie Wayne!!
If the town is losing money as he said then the only way is to increase fees. Change is hard at times but inevitable. If you have a better suggestion then go to the meetings and make your voice heard.
He made a bigger splash for himself than the splash pad ever did!
can we all say, RECALL!
So this is our new mayor’s idea of making a name for himself…By hiking prices and now charging for bulk pick up? What’s it cost? A whole $10-$15 in gas and 2-3 man hours for them to pick it all up? The nearest dump is in Jay, they don’t accept everything either, it’s household garbage only. And some people don’t have a vehicle to get to the dump in. But you’re gonna change things that have been this way for YEARS!! Should’ve kept Freddie Wayne in the city Hall.
you are the fools that voted him in, Century offers nothing ( but a wasted grant on a splash pad) It’s filthy and dilapidated homes shows it has nothing t offer,
This sounds like a plan that the Federal Government would come up with; Everybody come on and pay more fees and get less service so we can throw more money down the well. This has to be the smallest town in Florida that still tries to carry on the charade of maintaining itself as a city government. If the members of this council and the mayor had less interest in maintaining themselves as the “big fish in a little pond”, and more interest in saving the fee and taxpayers money, they would seriously look at how to de-certify Century as a city, and let the County, and ECUA take over the few services that are provided. The Citizens would save some real money, and nobody would miss the continuous clown show at Century City Hall.
Way to hit the ground running Mr. Mayor, I don’t see anyone else on the council putting any suggestions on the table.