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Utility rate increase for Benton delayed due to issues

On Monday, the Benton city council decided to table the proposals for utility increases after an unexpected issue came up.

BENTON, Arkansas — The people of Benton will have a little longer before their utility rates increase due to the city deciding on Monday night that they would postpone those proposals after something came up.

They explained that the billing software used to charge the rates would not be ready by the 30-day window if passed now. So, the city council decided to delay the vote and had some other changes in mind.

City and utility leaders will take the proposals back to the drawing board to come up with new numbers for the rate increases. 

This will also help make more time to finish developing the billing software.

"I'm very pleased that we are working with the administration and the council to arrive at the best possible solution that we can for ratepayers with the City of Benton... and very happy to be a part of that process," said Jerry Ponder with Benton Utility Commission.

The next reading is expected to happen next month, and if the city council votes to pass it next month it will then take 30 days before it goes into effect.

If everything goes according to plan, people will have at least two months before they have to start paying the new rates.

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