BARAGA – The Baraga Village council bumped water and electric rates at its regular meeting Tuesday.

Electric rates will increase 0.5 cents per kilowatt-hour, to 12.5 cents/kwh. Water rates will increase 50 cents per 1000 gallons to $7.70/1000 gallons, for anything over 4,000 gallons per month. The minimum water charge is $28 for up to the first 4,000 gallons.

The usage minimum actually decreased, said Village Manager LeAnn LeClaire.

The increases were the first for the village since 2009, she said, but were necessary both to cover the costs of needed water plant maintenance and to prepare for potential future projects.

“At the water plant, we have some improvements we need to have made,” LeClaire said. “We need a new high lift pump, a VFC valve.”

She didn’t suggest future projects, but said anything major would likely require a federal Rural Development grant, and Rural Development generally won’t choose communities with lower rates.

“If we ever do qualify for another loan, the rates would skyrocket,” she said, explaining more periodic increases will prevent a huge jump if that becomes necessary.

LeClaire said Baraga’s water rates remain competitive in relation to other Copper Country villages. Electric rates are far lower than most, which she said was largely due to the village’s partnership with WPPI Energy. WPPI offers far lower wholesale power rates than other regional providers, but only to municipal power companies.

LeClaire said the council vote on the rates was unanimous, and no one from the public raised objections at the meeting.

In other business, the council approved a new farmer’s market that will debut June 22 at the Baraga Kids Park and continue throughout the summer. LeClaire said the new market will be organized by the same group that has held markets in L’Anse in previous years.