East Grand Forks residents with backyard ice rinks this winter are now eligible for a discount on their sewer bills.
The new policy will allow East Grand Forks homeowners to flood rinks on personal property without paying sewer charges on water used for the rinks.
The city makes similar concessions for those using sprinklers to water lawns, determining the average sewer use from November to May and charging residents that amount instead of their actual summer usage.
Residents who wish to take advantage of the rink rate need to notify the city prior to flooding the rink.
"It's worth the money," council member Henry Tweten said. "If people are willing to spend the money to make better kids out of the neighborhood, I think we should encourage it."
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The council passed the ordinance this week by a 6-1 vote, with Marc DeMers dissenting.
One resident made a request to the council in March for a similar proposal. He argued the water used to create his backyard ice rink does not reach a sewer drain but rather is absorbed by his lawn.
The month he built the rink, his household water usage jumped from its average of 2,000 gallons to 29,000 gallons for the month and resulted in a total utility bill of $534.
Mayor Lynn Stauss agreed with the policy, telling the council neighborhood rinks encourage kids in East Grand Forks to practice skating and build friendships.
"Anything we can do to encourage kids to get out and skate, I think is a good idea," Stauss said.
DeMers, the lone council member to vote against the change, said he would calculate the rate differently and base it on the volume of the rink.
"I do agree with the idea of giving people a sewer rate break for putting a rink in, but there's a problem with calculation," he said. "This is basically voodoo economics."
The effective dates of the rink rate will begin Oct. 20 and end April 20 on the north end of the city and begin Nov. 5 and end May 5 for those on the south end.
