The service committee approved Resolution 25-69 on Oct. 6 to adjust stormwater utility rates by 4.5% annually for 10 years, a change staff said would raise about $150,000 per year and help fund prioritized stormwater capital projects.

Staff told the committee the stormwater utility was created in February 2005 and last had a rate adjustment in 2016. The city hired CDM Smith to perform a stormwater rate analysis that inventoried current and future operations, maintenance and capital needs and categorized projects as high, medium and low priority. Staff said the analysis identified roughly $42 million in currently known stormwater project need; during the presentation the staff member corrected a misstatement about project subtotals and indicated the combined total of listed priority estimates amounted to a larger figure (discussion in transcript). The presenter said the recommended 4.5% annual increase would generate roughly $150,000 annually and allow the city to fund the highest-priority projects (about $12–13 million) and portions of medium-priority work over 10 years.

Staff said the increase would raise the average residential monthly charge from $7.70 to $8.05 if effective Jan. 1, an increase of about $4.20 annually per household. Committee members had no further questions on the motion; the resolution passed by voice vote, 5-0.

Questions raised during discussion included requests for project specifics, assurance the consultant report would be shared, and confirmation that industrial and commercial customers with larger impervious areas would pay proportionally higher charges. Staff noted assumptions included a 4% inflation rate and anticipated personnel and O&M cost increases. No amendments were recorded at the committee level.