Jenks Public Works Authority approves budget with water and sewer charge increases

The Jenks City Council and Jenks Public Works Authority (JPWA) meeting held on May 21, 2025, focused on several key issues, including the approval of the fiscal year 2025-2026 budget and adjustments to water and sewer rates.

During the meeting, the council discussed the proposed budget, which includes a 5% increase in water charges and an 8% increase in sewer charges. These adjustments are intended to offset rising operational costs, with water expenditures projected to increase by 5.8% and sewer expenditures by 7.8%. The average monthly increase for residents is estimated to be approximately $6.52, which represents a rise of about 5.5%. Despite these increases, officials noted that Jenks' rates would remain lower than those of comparable cities in the Tulsa metro area, except for Glenpool.

Additionally, the JPWA plans to implement a 6% increase in the personnel budget, amounting to around $400,000, alongside an 11% increase in maintenance operations costs, which will rise by approximately $600,000 compared to the previous year. These changes are partly due to increased sales tax revenues and necessary adjustments to align with the costs of water purchased from Tulsa.

The council also addressed a question from a resident regarding the transfer of funds related to Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for local infrastructure projects. The discussion clarified that sales tax collected within the TIF would flow through the city to the JPWA for capital improvements.

In addition to the budget discussions, the council approved an agreement with the Jenks Chamber of Commerce to promote tourism, acknowledging the success of recent community events, such as a food truck gathering.

The meeting concluded with the council's approval of the budget and the tourism agreement, marking significant steps in the city's financial planning and community engagement efforts.