By AMY ROSE

Staff Writer

The Greeneville Water Commission on Tuesday discussed but did not take action on a recommendation to increase water and sewer rates by 5 percent.

Water Superintendent Ken Earl made the recommendation for the purposes of preparing the Greeneville Water Department's financial forecast for the 2008-09 fiscal year.

Earl said the Water Department will be working with the Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) on a comprehensive rate study that could take six to eight months to complete.

Chairman Brandon Hull said he would prefer to see the results of the study before he votes on a proposed rate increase.

Earl agreed to prepare the financial forecast without a rate increase and said he would present the forecast for the board to consider at its next meeting in May.

The water superintendent said he also would like to include more than a 3.5 percent pay raise for Water Department employees.

Water Line Relocation

The board did not take action on the relocation of a water line at a cost of $10,000.

Water Department engineer Doug Carver said the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is requiring the water line to be moved from the area where the city is planning a new road, the Fairgrounds Connector Road.

Chairman Hull asked Earl to discuss the need for a policy on who will pay for such projects, the Water Department or the city government generally.

The commission agreed to consider the relocation of the water line at the next meeting.

Cutoff Enforcement

The Water Commission also discussed enforcement of the cutoff of water service for customers who do not pay their bills after seven working days from the due date.

Earl said a customer recently complained that he did not receive a bill, and he had to pay $25 to have his service restored. He said the Water Department's records show that a bill was sent to the customer.

Chairman Hull said customers should have a second notice before their service is disconnected.

Hull also recommended that the Water Department encourage customers to use bank drafts for paying bills and send bills by e-mail to avoid postal delivery.

Water Plant Sign

The commission also didn't act on a proposal from Earl to place a landscaped brick sign in front of the water plant on Buckingham Road.

Earl showed a sketch of the sign, which said "Greeneville Water Department." The sketch was prepared by local architect Dave Wright.

Earl didn't have a cost estimate on the sign, but Commissioner Joe Waggoner said it would be an unnecessary expense.