In their Special Meeting Monday night, the Onset Fire District approved an article that will prompt a rate increase, although water commissioners said they do not yet know how much additional money will be demanded from individual users.

"Because we have tiered water rates [rates dependent on usage]...and other sources of funding" we don't know how the individual user's rates will be impacted, said Water Commissioner Brian O'Hearne.  He added that all rates and funding sources will be reviewed.

O'Hearne estimated that over the next few meetings, the water commissioners would assess how to account for $85,000 that needs to be collected from users.

Some residents were not too happy, however, with the increase.  The Water Commissioners scheduled the special meeting because they had to rescind votes made at two previous meetings to transfer the $85,000, plus an additional $50,000 for a water-meter replacement program, from what they thought was a surplus.

However, the state found that the district based this surplus on calculating the incorrect account.  There was no surplus after all.

And there were few options for district members - either the money would be charged to their water rate or to their service fee.

(The $50,000 for the water-meter replacement program will not be divided among water users, the meeting unanimously voted to no funding the program for the remainder of the year until the next annual meeting.)

The meeting also voted to indefinitely postpone an article to accept donations of equipment from the fire department, due to concerns that not there were not enough people at the meeting (there were 25 voters) to warrant a decision.