FOLEY, Ala. — Objections to sewer rate hikes proposed by Baldwin County Sewer Service, objections which have been reverberating from many points within the county of late, reached Foley City Council chambers on Monday.

Ike McAlpin of Glenlakes urged council members to undertake an investigation into BCSS for what he called "price gouging."

"It's time for you to act," he said during the visitors comments section of the council agenda.

Carl Geider, also from Glenlakes, said he and his wife moved to the area in 1993 from Ann Arbor, Mich. They lived in the Lillian area, and he served on the Spanish Cove Board, Geider said. When BCSS requested a rate increase back then, "nobody could call them to task," Geider said.

"They said they were raising the rate to assume parity" with another community's service, said Geider of the earlier rate hike. Of the proposed 60 percent rate hike today by BCSS, Geider noted, "The increase is higher even than Pensacola requires citizens to pay for sewer."

Calling the new rate hike "unfair to Foley," Geider said "an injustice is being done to the citizens of this community."

Following McAlpin and Geider's comments, Mayor John Koniar noted in connection with the rate hike that "citizens are having to sit here and watch it happen."

Prior to visitor comments, Koniar noted the sewer issue is a countywide problem. He expressed hope the county commission and Baldwin County legislative delegation will come up with a reasonable solution to the issue.

In other council action Monday, approval was given for a number of events: Abiding Love Fellowship's annual Fall Festival will be held at Max Griffin Park on Nov. 10, 2007, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; American Cancer Society's "Relay for Life" will be held May 2, 2008, at the Foley Soccer Complex; and the Foley Convention and Visitors Bureau's 7th Annual Heritage Harbor Days fireworks finale will be held Nov. 4, 2007, with Cypress Street between U.S. Highway 98 and Rose Avenue to be blocked off from 5:45 p.m. to 6:25 p.m.

Approval was given for a resolution for up to $3,000 to install a new post with power equipment for the Christmas tree and "Christmas Village" in John B. Foley Park.

Council members named the mayor a voting delegate to the upcoming National League of Cities meeting in new Orleans. Also, approval was given to adoption of a resolution to change the city's South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce representative to a non-voting member.

A resolution was approved for a one-year lease agreement for 203 W. Myrtle Ave. for $2,400 per month for the Engineering and Recreation departments.

A resolution was approved to apply for a grant from the Alabama Public Library Service for a construction grant.

Council members approved a proclamation declaring November as "Native American Indian Heritage Month." On hand to receive the proclamation was a representative of the Fort Bowyer Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.