JAY – Selectmen voted unanimously Tuesday to increase the sewer rate by $40 bringing it up to $250 per unit for fiscal 2009 that begins July 1. The remainder of the sewer budget will be covered by town-wide taxation as in previous years.

The rate increase was set after more than an hour of discussion, first in a public hearing and then between selectmen as they debated the pros and cons of having sewer users foot the entire bill for sewer operations, or maintaining the mix of funding.

It would have cost sewer users $709 per unit, if selectmen had decided that users should pay the entire cost without a property tax subsidy.

Selectmen had reviewed sewer rates throughout the state that ranged from $189 per unit to $900-plus.

The numbers are all over the place, Chairman Bill Harlow said.

There are 800 homes on the public sewer system and 800 not on the system in Jay.

Harlow said he was concerned about the $700 figure and the effect it would have on sewer users.

While some people argued for sewer rates being based on use since half of the homes in town are on private septic systems, others argued that it would be too much for users alone to bear.

Selectman Rick Simoneau, who has a septic system, said he had previously been in favor of users footing the entire cost but has since changed his mind after studying the issue.

“I can’t in good conscience put that number to users,” Simoneau said. He suggested keeping a flat use rate with taxation this year but doing a pilot run of checking some sewer users’ water use and figuring out what the cost of sewer would be prior to setting rates next year.

It would cost $1.33 for each number the Livermore Falls Water District turns over. Jay Village Water District and North Jay Water District would give the numbers to the town for free, according to town officials.