Council signals support to maintain rate freeze for senior water and sewer customers

Councilmembers indicated they want to continue the water- and sewer-rate freeze for senior customers (age 65 and above) and for disabled customers previously included in the program. Kaylee, speaking for finance, said last year the council froze the water and sewer increases for customers 65 and older and that the number of eligible senior accounts rose from roughly 4,225 to about 4,600 after the freeze. Staff asked whether council wanted the freeze to continue for the proposed 1.5% increase inside city limits. Several councilmembers voiced support for preserving the senior exemption; staff said they were still working to quantify exact fiscal impacts and that the affected accounts represent roughly 10% of total customers (4,600 of about 45,000). Finance staff said the fiscal impact of exempting seniors from a 1.5% increase is likely nominal but that they were continuing to calculate dollar figures. Council gave staff direction to proceed on the assumption that seniors would be exempted from the 1.5% increase and to finalize related ordinance or administrative steps for a future meeting.