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Edwardsville City Council members followed through Monday with their 2010 budget plans to increase sewer rates for all customers.

For those in the residential rate class, rates will go up 70 cents, from $6.25 to $6.95 per month.

“This is just an update in accordance with the budget we already adopted,” said city administrator Michael Webb.

The overall revenue that is expected from sewers in 2010 is about $76,000, which will be in a separate fund to be used for sewer maintenance expenses and debt service.

The increase is 11.2 percent across the board, which in addition to the residential district, includes four commercial classes.

Council member Doug Danner asked about the rates of the residents in Edwardsville’s trailer park.

Webb answered that there were 634 sewer hook-ups, and that the park is classified under the C4 rate class. He said the park was charged one single bulk rate, which went from $308.01 in 2009 to $342.51 in 2010.

During the budget discussions in July, Webb had suggested the sewer increase because when the city took over that service, it expected more customers than it got and now the service is not paying out as much as he would like.

In other business Monday, the council:

• Approved, 5-0, minutes from the Jan. 11 meeting.

• Approved, 5-0, payment of bills totaling $289,011.43.

• Confirmed, 5-0, the mayoral appointment of Ola Howerton to the Cemetery Board.

• Heard a presentation from council member Chuck Adams regarding recent activity on the Transportation Board, on which he sits.

Adams said a representative with Kansas City International Airport spoke at a board meeting about the airport’s long term plans, which include construction of an entirely new terminal that would limit the passenger entrances to one.

“Nationally our airport is known as the three-ring circus,” Adams said.

One of the biggest changes the single terminal would include, Adams said, was to cut down on the security costs, which he said were higher than most other airports. Rather than having one security station manned, Adams said KCI currently has a security post at every single open gate.

The building of a single terminal would also affect traveling to the airport. Adams said the plan would call for most of the incoming traffic from the south to go up Kansas Highway 152, a direct shot rather than looping around to Interstate 29, which Adams said is what most people do today.

These plans, Adams said, are expected for 2020.

“This would allow us to be a hub,” he said. “Right now we can’t be a hub. No airlines are interested in us.”

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