By Ryan Storz

Municipal budgets are not due to be completed for another seven weeks, but the Leasburg trustees passed their water budget last Tuesday night to make the necessary changes for USDA.
Rate hikes were necessary to keep in compliance with the grant the village received from USDA.
Rates will see another hike effective July 1 and will revert to a two-tiered rate. Anything up to and including 1,000 gallons will be $23 and another $3 per an additional 1,000 gallons.
The rates are increasing by $6.82. Five dollars of the increase will bring it to USDA’s recommended rate and another $1.82 will pay for a small business loan.
A rate hike was passed in January. The current rates are $17 per 1,000 gallons, and an additional $3 per 1,000 gallons for any portion between 1,001 and 5,000; an additional $2 per 1,000 between 5,001 and 10,000 gallons; and $1.50 per 1,000 gallons beyond 10,000.
Rates were figured using the last year’s usage.
It is projected that the water budget will provide a net surplus of $11,000.
Leasburg trustees also agreed to create a restricted account through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources that can only be used for major repairs.
No one will be able to access the money unless given permission by DNR.
Trustees are offering up $9,523 as their first deposit into the restricted account. They agreed to deposit $100 per month into the account and another $200 into a maintenance savings account.
The restricted account will be opened when bonds and loans are paid off by the middle of the decade.
Trustees reported that the loan application for the standpipe has been completed and was to be sent off.