Following advice from Falls Church City Attorney John Foster, the Falls Church City Council voted tonight to defer action on adoption of a water rate increase until September 12, pending receipt of a Fairfax Circuit Court decree stipulating that the increase is in compliance with the Jan. 2009 ruling by Judge Ney concerning the permitted operations of the Falls Church water system.

The motion was made by Councilman Ira Kaylin who said that he will vote for the rate increase as justified by increased costs to the system but that the temporary deferral would be a more “prudent” course of action. The vote 3-2, with Kaylin, Mayor Nader Baroukh and Ron Peppe voting yes, and Vice Mayor David Snyder and Lawrence Webb voting no in favor of an immediate vote to raise the rates as of Aug. 1.