The Atlantic City Council this week will hold the first reading of an ordinance dealing with the outside sale of alcoholic beverages, and the second-reading of an ordinance amending the wastewater fee schedule.

An ordinance entitled “Outdoor Alcohol-Beverage Garden” is being proposed by the Chamber of Commerce, because it was inadvertently left out of the RAGBRAI ordinance the Council had adopted earlier. An amendment to the current ordinance is being prepared for the council’s consideration during their meeting Wednesday evening, at City Hall.

And, the Council will act on approving the second-reading of an ordinance which amends the wastewater fee schedule. The first reading was approved during their last meeting. The ordinance does not change the current rate structure, and would have a uniform impact on all customers. If approved after the third and final reading, the rate increase would generate an additional 11.5-percent in revenues from sewer charges. The revenues will be used to help pay for the new, $15-million dollar wastewater treatment plant, which is currently under construction.

Under the proposed plan, the minimum charge, or base sewer rate, would go up three-dollars per month, and the usage charge for water used in excess of 3,000 gallons per month, would increase 50-cents per thousand gallons, from $5.00 per thousand, to $5.50 per thousand.

City Administrator Doug Harris is expected to recommend the council stay with the current rate structure for both residences and businesses, and not restructure it for businesses that use a large amount of water, such as car washes, because of the amount of time it would take to restructure the rates. He will likely recommend the Council undertake a rate study in Fiscal Year 2012 to determine if there is a more fair and equitable rate structure.