Eric Bartkus Lowell City Council

The city has made really good progress in recent years at rebuilding the streets. The 18 streets paved in the past fiscal year and the 14 planned for this year is an accomplishment! However there is no question that roads are still one of the city’s top problems.

It is too bad that Monroe and Washington have gotten so bad that they are major works, totaling at least 8 million dollars which the city doesn’t have. The good news is that we qualified for a USDA 40 year bond program at a low (2% for Monroe and about 3% for Washington) interest rate. These low rates will help with financing these expensive projects. No one likes long term debts but in this case it is needed.

I am concerned with the payment of these bonds using increases to the water and sewer rates. Rates have already been increased 11 times for water and 9 times for sewer since 2006. The most recent budget document states that some of these increases were for the USDA financing. I am hopeful that large rate increases aren’t needed in the future. I don’t want rates to be a burden to our residents or a deterrent for growth.

The wastewater treatment plant needs to be expanded and State Representative Gina Johnson stated at the recent Chamber of Commerce breakfast that there is state money being allocated for this need. I will watch this as it moves through the statehouse.

In closing, fixing our streets as fast as possible should remain a top priority. Any available funds should go to this need. If elected to the council, I will continually search for any taxpayer money that could be better spent on the streets. Now is not the time to reduce the city tax millage rate and slow down road progress.