They are aware it won’t have a lot of impact on paying new, much higher, water rates, but the Rockdale City Council has agreed to raise the homestead exemption for Rockdale residents 65-and-over, or disabled, from $5,000 to $10,000.
Meeting Monday at City Hall, the council also amended a 25-year-old restriction that requires outdoor water systems to have one-inch meters, a tweak that springs from the new water rates.
EXEMPTION—Mayor John King said the homestead exemption increase from $5,000 to $10,000 is an attempt to provide some assistance to senior citizens and disabled.
In the recent public water town halls, those groups were prominently mentioned as deserving some relief from the new rates, which are now in effect.
In February the council discussed, but took no action on, possible water rate relief for low-income/seniors.
Monday’s vote was 5-0.
The Rockdale ISD and Milam County freeze taxes for senior citizens. The City of Rockdale does not, but King told the council the Texas Legislature is considering a number of property tax relief measures.
METERS—The new water rates are based on 3/4-inch water meters—the size of most Rockdale customers—and the city has agreed to change out larger meters to that size at no cost to the owner.
However, a 1995 city ordinance requires home owners with a separate lawn watering meter to have a one-inch meter. City Manager Chris Whittaker said he has turned down some requests for the free changeout because of that ordinance.
Code Enforcement Officer Barbara Holly told the council she had researched the basis for the 1995 ordinance and was told by former City Manager Sue Foster Jones it was in response to water pressure issues at that time.
“She said people did not have enough pressure to fill bathtubs on second floors,” Holly said.
“But this was also before the new Allday Street water tower came online (relieving the pressure issues),” Holly said.
Conclusion was that the 1-inch restriction for separate watering meters was no longer needed. The council agreed, 5-0.
HOUSE NUMBERS—
The council conducted a workshop on new requirements that each Rockdale location install luminous six-inch house numbers.
Whittaker said the reasoning was to assist emergency responders in finding addresses with which they may not be familiar.
Several council members expressed concern at requiring the 6-inch size and wanted options for numbers to be on mailboxes and curbs in addition to on houses.
Another workshop is scheduled and the city will solicit input from the public.
FESTIVAL—The council discussed a request for $18,957 from hotel-motel funds for the 2019 Rockdale Fall Music Festival, which includes the annual 5-Kay Run. All agreed the 2018 event was successful.
A total of $9,500 was okayed by the council.
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