Harlan Municipal Utility customers will see slight increases in water and gas rates starting in July. In a regular board meeting last Thursday, the HMU board of trustees approved the rate increases. The water rates will increase 8% and Chief Executive Officer of HMU Darrell Wenzel says this increase is a follow up to the rate increase last year for the water treatment plant as they are needing to hit certain revenue targets to pay for the 7 million dollar plant. A family of 2 will see about a $1.50 increase on the average while a larger family will be closer to the $2.50 range.

As far as the gas rate increase, he says HMU saw a negative margin of about $25,000 last year and through January 2013 the increase is around $47,000. Wenzel says it has been twelve years since the last gas increase and back then it was a 65 percent increase. The board wanted a much smaller increase this time around to get the margins back to the positive side.

For a couple residential examples, they are looking at a 91 cent increase, 2.5%. If you have a bigger family, you are looking at a $1.40. But it all depends on how much gas you use. The Harlan Municipal Utilities water and gas rate increase will take effect on July 1st, 2013.

In other news, Wenzel said the Water Treatment Plant is about 89% completed in a monetary stand point and customers could see the plant itself being fired up in mid-July however the plant will not go online until all the tests are complete. Wenzel said the plant should be pumping water into the wells by fall.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Five people were arrested over the weekend in Atlantic. According to the Police Department, 21-year old Nicholas Anderson, of Atlantic, and 51-year old Robert Atkinson, of Chicago, Il, were arrested Friday. Anderson was taken into custody on a Cass County warrant for Contempt of Court/Failure to Comply with Treatment. Atkinson was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear. Both were booked into the Cass County Jail.

On Saturday, Atlantic Police arrested 19-year old Ethan Pollock, of Anita, and 25-year old Eric Gross, of Des Moines. Both men were charged with Operating a motor vehicle While Intoxicated (OWI). They were booked into the Cass County Jail.

And, on Sunday, 38-year old David Graham, of Atlantic, was arrested by the Atlantic P-D on an OWI charge. Graham was also booked into the Cass County Jail.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular weekly meeting Wednesday morning, in Greenfield. On the agenda for their 9-a.m. session at the courthouse, is action on a resolution approving a Fiscal Year 2013 budget amendment, and an amended service contract with Access Systems.

Other discussion and/or action items include those pertaining to: Pictometry; Sidwell GIS; Labor negotiations; Consent for Local Option Sales Tax/Tax Increment Financing, for the City of Stuart; and, courtyard permits for the Chamber Main Street committee.

A fight in Shenandoah Monday, has resulted in charges being filed against a teenager. A 17-year old male faces a charge of Willful Injury, following an incident at 707 West Summit Street. When officers arrived, they found 26-year old Cody Tunnel bleeding from a puncture wound. Tunnel was taken toShenandoahMedicalCenter for treatment. A report on the extent of his injuries is not available. Officials said the unidentified teen allegedly involved in the fight was booked into the Council Bluffs Juvenile Detention Center.