Government : Water rate increase for the Vinton Country Club discussed

Last month and again this month the Vinton City Council met with members of the Vinton Country Club concerning their water rates.

Back in 2017 the city ordinance changed which had been giving the Vinton Country Club a reduction in their water bill for being in what was called the "Tier Three" for water usage in Vinton. The "Tier Three" was set up to assist manufacturers that used to be located in town and who needed a large amount of water to operate. Plants like Iowa Ham and the vegetable plant were among those mentioned. In 2009, the country club installed a water system to keep the greens, green. Their water usage then put them in this bracket for a cut in water rates.

In 2017, it is assumed that the city council decided that because these plants which had previously hired several people, were no longer in the city, the break for water usage in that Tier Three bracket could be done away with. It was officially removed according to city ordinances.

The message and billing for the Vinton Country Club about this change never arrived at the Country Club until all these years later. John Mossman, who is now the acting president, addressed the City Council asking if there could be some time for the business to come up with a plan to deal with these increases. Until the rate increases, the Vinton Country Club had spent about $17,000 in costs water per year. Following the increase, the bill unexpectedly increased to more than $4,500 a month. Mossman explained that at the end of last year, the country club only profited by about $4,000.

The club uses about 7% of the total water usage in the city. The city holds that they are operating at a loss using the previous water rates, and has had to increase the rates for all the residents just to cover costs.

Mossman believes that the city is making a profit and that it would not be illegal for the city to give them a break in the cost.

The mayor and city administrator sought legal counsel in the matter. They also inquired of several sources of income for the city, which involve the sources of the city's various grants, and government programs if they could lower the rates for the country club without losing the financial aid from these entities. The answer was no, they could not give a special rate to one consumer alone.

The city attorney also believes that to do so would jeopardize funding, while Mossman believes that the city can and should grant the waiver for at least a few months so that they can come up with a plan. He believes that it is neither illegal nor that the city would take a loss from the numbers that he saw.

The country club does lend its course to the Vinton-Shellsburg Golf team and hosts several events on its grounds throughout the year. The organization believes that if the Vinton Country Club cannot meet it's financial obligations the loss to the city would be felt in a loss of revenue from the visitors that it brings to the city.

The city attorney as well as Mossman will address the topic again in two weeks.