Menands delays new sewer charge for Town of Colonie, asks LaBella for cost study
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Summary
The Menands Village Board tabled setting a new per-household sewer charge for the Town of Colonie and directed engineering consultant LaBella to deliver an objective cost calculation by the end of the month, to be considered at the Nov. 3 meeting.
The Menands Village Board on Oct. 20 tabled a decision to raise the per-household sewer charge it bills the neighboring Town of Colonie and directed consulting engineer LaBella to deliver a detailed, objective cost calculation by the end of the month.
Mayor said the original sewer-use agreement with the Town of Colonie was established in 1970 and expired in 2010; under that agreement the village has been charging $4 per household. "That agreement was set up in 1970 and expired in 2010," the mayor said, and village staff and LaBella presented a range of alternatives for a short-term stopgap rate while a full renegotiation proceeds.
Why it matters: Menands handles operation and maintenance for the local collection system that carries wastewater from about 1,094 Colonie households into the village interceptor line. The village says the 1970 flat fee no longer reflects current costs; Colonie officials told Menands they had already set their 2026 rates and would not accept a retroactive increase without further negotiation.
Discussion, proposal and next steps LaBella senior engineer Ruben outlined the firm's interim calculation: adjusting the $4 figure from 1970 by the consumer price index (CPI) to March 2025 produced a per-household figure of roughly $33.49 for calendar 2026 as a stopgap. "We paraphrase the exact agreement as it was done in 1970, and we increased the number based on the consumer price index between March 1970 and March 2025, and that results in a rate of $33.49," Ruben said.
Trustee Steve pushed back on relying solely on CPI because the 1970 contract, he said, had no escalation clause and ran through Feb. 2010; he asked LaBella to compute the village's current objective cost by apportioning operation and maintenance costs and pipe length. "The CPI calculation just does not work," Steve said. He recommended an allocation based on flow share and the village's sewer operating budget rather than a long CPI series. The board agreed LaBella should prepare a full, transparent calculation that can withstand scrutiny and negotiation with Colonie.
Outcome and direction The board voted to table setting a fixed per-household charge and to place the item on the Nov. 3 agenda after LaBella delivers its recommended calculation. The village also instructed staff to send all future correspondence about the matter by letter and email to all members of the Colonie town board to ensure the town board is fully informed.
What remains unresolved Colonie already approved its 2026 budget and rate structure; Menands staff said Colonie returned Menands' bill showing $8 per household with a check for $4, and rejected Menands' assertion that the $4 payment was insufficient. Menands staff have mailed follow-up notices, including interest and a 1% per month penalty, and have not yet pursued litigation. Whether Colonie will accept any negotiated increase remains uncertain.
The board expects LaBella's full calculations and supporting backup by the end of the month so trustees can consider a recommended interim rate and a negotiation strategy at the Nov. 3 meeting.
