The Ville Platte City Council Tuesday approved introducing an ordinance to raise all of its utility rates by an average of 35% for customers of city water, gas and sewer. The rate increase will be for residential, commercial and industrial customers. A public hearing will be held Tuesday May 28 at 4;45pm at City Hall followed by a special meeting to vote on the ordinance. Mayor Jennifer Vidrine said the city has not had a rate increase for the past 20 years. The city is being forced to raise its rates by its bond holders. The city's Bond and Finance Manager reported that the city must be able to sustain itself and show a profit. Mayor Jennifer Vidrine said this has been a hard decision for the city to make. "We have to do it but we will be able to have more city services for city residents with the additional funding, "said the mayor. Also the city introduced an ordinance to take action on past due accounts. The ordinance calls for customer accounts who are past due in paying their utility bills for two months or more will be turned over to a collection agency. The city has over $300,000 in delinquent bills. The public hearing is set for Tuesday May 28 at 4;30pm with a special meeting following to adopt the ordinance. In other action the city council: -received demonstrations from representatives of the Louisiana Municipal and Technical Services of the La Municipal Association. The reps showed the city council how city officials can keep track on all of the new 17 city trucks to be more efficient and accountable to local residents. The group also announced they can help the city try to control over grown properties. -a group calling themselves "Neighborhood Resident" from the South side asked the city council's help in problems with street lighting and drainage problems. Mayor Jennifer Vidrine reported that there will be funding for additional lighting and additional street signs and stop signs in the new city budget; -the city council approved rolling up the millage tax rates for the 2019 tax year to avoid losing some $16,000. Property owners will see a slight 40 cent to 60 cent per property increase.