Parkersburg City Councilmen Mike Reynolds, left, and Chris Rexroad look over a map given to them during Tuesday’s meeting by city resident Jeff Stump of areas that would benefit from the Parkersburg Utility Board’s planned water system improvement project. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

PARKERSBURG — Two ordinances for a water rate increase passed Parkersburg City Council on final reading Tuesday, and council members heard a request for funding to expand water and sewer infrastructure for new development.

The ordinances authorizing nearly $17 million in planned water system improvements by the Parkersburg Utility Board and a three-year phased increase to help fund them passed 7-1, with Councilman Bob Mercer opposed and Councilman J.R. Carpenter absent after an attempt to connect him to the meeting by phone was unsuccessful. Councilman Austin Richards participated via phone.

Beginning July 1, 2022, the new rates will gradually increase the monthly bill for an average customer using 3,100 gallons of water by 7 percent. That was reduced from the original 9 percent proposal after not enough council members would sponsor it.

Mercer said at the Oct. 26 meeting he thought the increase was still too much for residents on a fixed income.

Council allocated $7 million in federal American Rescue Plan money to the project, which will include replacing 56,400 feet of large- and small-diameter water mains, building a water storage tank and booster station to improve water pressure and flow in south Parkersburg and rehabilitating equipment at the water treatment plant and south reservoir.

Jared Decker, left, real estate director for the PM Company, speaks to members of Parkersburg City Council during a meeting of the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday at the Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

During a public hearing on the first ordinance, area resident Charles Roberts asked if those projects specifically are what the rate increase will go toward.

“Are there pay raises layered into this?” he said. “I hope this is just used to address the water infrastructure.”

Councilwoman Sharon Kuhl said none of the money will be used for raises.

“Every bit of this goes toward what that plan is,” she said.

After the meeting, PUB Comptroller Erin Hall confirmed no pay raises are predicated on the rate increase. PUB officials have previously said that while the water system improvements are the primary focus of the increase, it is also needed to keep up with rising prices and a declining customer base. The increased revenue will go into the utility’s general revenue for the water system, from which debt service, payroll and operations and maintenance expenses are all paid.

Jared Decker, right, real estate director for the PM Company, discusses property the company proposes donating to Parkersburg and Wood County for a sports complex as PM Company CFO Dan Van Dyke, left, and Wood County Economic Development Executive Director Lindsey Piersol hold up a map of the area during Tuesday’s Parkersburg City Council Committee of the Whole meeting. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Before the regular meeting, council met as the Committee of the Whole, with Carpenter and Richards absent, for a presentation from the PM Company about a planned donation of 49 acres for a sports complex atop Fort Boreman Hill, where the business also hopes to develop other property.

The company asked for council’s financial support of efforts to extend water and sewer service to the property. Jared Decker, real estate director for the PM Company, said it’s possible a state grant could help fund the estimated $1.3 million to $1.5 million project, but a 20 to 30 percent local match was likely needed. The Wood County Commission recently said it would match the city’s contribution.

Wood County Economic Development Executive Director Lindsey Piersol said the area has lost out on some projects because properties like that on Fort Boreman Hill did not have utilities ready to go.

“If we don’t put in utilities, that site will sit empty,” she said.

Councilwoman Wendy Tuck asked if the city had to take it on or if the developer could do it themselves. Piersol said in her experience, private developers have not been willing or able to do that.

Parkersburg City Councilwoman Wendy Tuck, right, asks a question about a proposed Parkersburg Utility Board rate increase during Tuesday’s council meeting at the Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Councilwoman Sharon Kuhl said she supports a contribution from the city because of the economic benefits of developing a sports complex and more on the site.

During the council meeting, some residents spoke against the city contributing to the project. Former Councilman Jeff Fox said the rate increase should not be used to support that work, but later clarified that he supported the hike if it was to improve the existing system.

Hall said after the meeting the Fort Boreman project was not included in the improvements to be funded by the rate increase. It had already been submitted to council when the PM Company addressed the PUB about the Fort Boreman site last month.