Higher Sewer, Water, and Ice Rink Fees Planned for Fiscal 2014

Update, May 28:

Recreation Director Thomas J. Tullie told Smithfield Patch that the per-hour rental fees at the ice rink were increased from $185 to $190 in December, 2012, and will not increase again in fiscal 2014.

Original Post, May 20:

As part of Smithfield's budget for fiscal 2014, the so-called Enterprise Funds — separate budgets that pay for the water supply, sewer service, and the municipal ice rink — are expected to go up by about $300,000, requiring higher fees charged to residents and users of those services.

According to the proposed fiscal 2014 budget [click the link to see the document] sewer users will see a $10 increase — to $320 per unit — while the town's water supply board will hike rates to pay for an expected increase in the cost to use water from the Providence Water Board.

"Despite this proposed increase, the Town continues to have one of the lowest per unit [sic] sewer usage rates within the State of Rhode Island," a note in the proposed spending plan states.

And at the ice rink, planned maintenance and repairs will be funded through higher per-hour rental fees for teams and private groups.

Overall, the Enterprise Funds budgets will reach about $7.1 million, up from about $6.8 million in the current fiscal year.