At their regular meeting on Feb. 13, the Middlebourne Town Council passed an ordinance increasing the town’s water and sewer rates by 12 percent across the board.

The increase will go into effect on April 15. The municipality joins others in the surrounding area that have been forced to increase rates to offset deficits in the budget.

The proposed increase will produce approximately $27,675 annually in additional revenue. The average monthly bill for the various classes of customers will be changed as follows: residential, increase of approximately $5.08; commercial, increase of approximately $5.08.

The increases shown are based on averages of all customers in each class. Individual customers may receive increases that are greater or less than the average. These requested rates and charges are only a proposal and may be subject to change by the Public Service Commission in their review. The Commission shall review and approve or modify the increased rates only upon the filing of a petition within 30 days of the adoption of the ordinance changing the rates by:

Any customer aggrieved by the changed rates or charges who presents to the Commission a petition signed by not less than twenty-five percent of the customers served by such municipally operated public utility; or

Any customer who is served by a municipally operated public utility and who resides outside the corporate limits and who is affected by the change in said rates or charges and who presents to the Commission a petitioner alleging discrimination between customers within and without the municipal boundaries. Said petition shall be accompanied by evidence of discrimination; or

Any customer or group of customers who are affected by said change in rates who reside within the municipal boundaries and who present a petition to the Commission alleging discrimination between said customer or group of customers and other customers of the municipal utility. Said petition shall be accompanied by evidence of discrimination.

All petitions should be addressed to The Executive Secretary, Public Service Commission of West P.O. Box 812, Charleston, West Virginia 25323.

A complete copy of the proposed rates, as well as a representative of the Company to provide any information requested concerning it, is available to all customers, prospective customers or their agents at any of the following offices of the utility: Middlebourne, Municipal Offices, 100 Main Street, Middlebourne, West Virginia 26149

A copy of the proposed rates is also available for public inspection at the office of the Secretary of the Public Service Commission at 201 Brooks Street, Charleston, West Virginia.