By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

HELENA–Various residential streets in Helena in need of attention will soon be repaved, the city announced recently.

At the May 28 Utility Board Meeting, the board unanimously agreed to appropriate $25,000 to a couple of projects estimated to cost approximately $10,000 apiece.

“Right now we’re looking at two projects, but it could be more,” Helena Mayor Mark Hall said. “We wanted to go to $25,000, and the two projects were looking at are around $10,000, but we wanted to appropriate funding to repair some of those line failures in those areas so right now we’re going to spend $25,000. That’s really all we have to spend on that right now.”

The two areas the city is looking to repave first are the Dearing Downs and Secretariat Drive areas and then eventually move to the areas that aren’t as severe, but also need attention.

“We’re going to look at some of the more severe areas where sewer lines have caused potholes,” said Hall.

A base water rate increase was also approved at the May 28 meeting that will increase water rates from $12 to $13 a month for the 2,000-gallon minimum beginning Oct. 1. The water usage rates will increase by 94 cents for every additional 1,000-gallons used in a month.