GNAW BONE — The Gnaw Bone Regional Sewer Board will be talking again about a possible monthly rate increase at its next meeting on Monday, Aug. 2.

Last fall, the board had been considering an increase from the current $50 per month to a new rate of $65 per month. They decided in September to postpone that decision until they could get more information about the actual state of the sewer district’s finances. The board had terminated its former accountant on Sept. 2 and did not have faith in a rate study he had done, which was part of the basis for the possible rate increase.

A new legal advertisement about a possible rate increase appeared in the July 21 paper and is in this week’s paper as well.

The board is still dealing with thousands of dollars in unpaid sewer bills from customers. Some customers have made arrangements to pay, but finances continue to be an area of concern.

Board members Dave Hess, Shawn Fosnight and Donna Lutes have said that they don’t want to raise rates — as they are customers, too — but they need to consider it and look out for the long-term financial health of the utility.

The sewer board usually meets at 6 p.m. the first Monday of every month at the Gnaw Bone Food Mart/Country Mark gas station, but the public hearing on this rate increase will start at 5:30 p.m. instead on Aug. 2, according to the legal ad.