LINCOLN - A vote on raising the sewer rates in the City of Lincoln will wait for another two weeks.

With Mayor Beth Davis-Kavelman, and Aldermen Dave Arburst, Marty Neitzel, and Jonnie Tibbs all absent at Monday night's City Council meeting, a vote on raising sewer rates for residential and commercial customers was tabled until the next voting session on October 20.

"I want to table this until everyone is back and has a chance to vote on it," Alderman Wanda Rohlfs said.

City attorney William Bates said if passed, the changes in the ordinance would take effect November 1. Wording for the ordinance was drafted b the city's sewers and drainage committee last month. Sewer and facility manager Dave Kitzmiller helped the committee with the new proposal.

"Costs and expenses have increased substantially," Bates said, "and the rates have not been raised since July 1, 2003."

If approved, the residential rates - which are the same for every residential household - would rise from $16.43 to $20 per month, slightly above a 20 percent increase. Commercial and industrial users are charged on the volume of wastewater discharge and would also see a 20 percent increase, Kitzmiller said.

In discussing the potential rate hike, Kitzmiller said last month that the new rates would bring the City of Lincoln closer to the average of 10 cities in the area. The average monthly rate for 10 cities and towns surrounding Lincoln was approximately $24.

"But the industrial and commercial users will probably have a pretty sizeable increase," he said. "In fact, Logan Correctional Center may see an increase of approximately $45,000 per year."

Kitzmiller said the city would like see a $200,000 deficit in sewer operations for the coming fiscal year without the increase.

The council is expected to vote on the rate hike October 20.