Gamewell sees small sewer rate increase
Jun. 15—The Gamewell town council approved a general fund budget of $1.5 million for 2021-22 at a public hearing Monday night, an $800,000 increase from the current year.
The general fund will be used to cover costs for utilities, travel, administration, salaries and maintenance. A large portion of the general fund will also be used for new projects.
The town has no property tax rate, so the general fund is primarily composed of sales tax allocated to the town, said Gamewell Town Manager Mary Carter. Caldwell County allocates a certain amount of sales tax to each town based on population, she said.
The main priorities for spending taxpayer money is the capital projects that the general fund pays for, said Carter.
The first is renovations to the Gamewell Park, in which the town plans to spend $120,000 on building picnic shelters and replacing the wood mulch with rubber mulch.
The town also plans to renovate the old Gamewell Town Hall building. About $30,000 will go toward turning that building into Gamewell Historic Museum. Carter said they will put in new carpet, paint and fix lighting, among other things.
The last project is related to the flooding that happened last summer at Gamewell Park. The town is working on getting a grant and co-paying to restore the bank along Abingdon Creek, she said. The town plans to put $170,000 toward that project.
"Keeping up our park and the upgrades happening in town will benefit all our residents," she said. "The projects we're doing will help with safety and overall improvement."
Sewer rates will be raised 50 cents from $6.50 per 1,000 gallons to $7, making the bill a total of $28 a month, minimum, she said. The city of Lenoir processes Gamewell's sewer services, and the 2% increase in Lenoir's rates caused Gamewell to also raise rates.
There are two sewer projects the town is planning for in the coming year. The first is the installation of a sewer system in a development on Gamewell Heights Road, right off of Calico Road. Residents requested sewer services last year, but there were some challenges with paperwork because everyone in the development must sign for the project to go forward.
This year, residents are in agreement, so the town is trying again. The project will cost around $150,000. The town also is moving a sewer line that is near Lower Creek to a higher elevation because water levels in the creek are getting dangerously close to the sewer line. That project will cost $65,000.
Reporter Carmen Boone can be reached at 828-610-8723
Reporter Carmen Boone can be reached at 828-610-8723
