Asbury Park Council adopts slight increases to sewer connection fees after public hearing

The Asbury Park City Council on March 20 approved modest increases to the city's sewer connection fees for new customers after a short public hearing and testimony from the city's auditor.

David Gannon, the auditor retained by the city, testified under oath that connection fees are designed to "put the new user of the sewer system on an equal footing" with prior users and described the firm's recent recomputation of fees. He said the city's recomputation accounts for recent capital costs and water-use records.

Gannon read the proposed new rates into the record, recommending changes for the three property classes the city uses: "We're recommending the new sewer connection fee for class 1 residential, go from $7,001.63 to $7,001.71. We're recommending the class 2, hotelmotel, fee be increased from $3,005.81 50 per guest room to $3,005.85 50 per guest room. And, finally, we're recommending a sewer connection rate or numbers with general, from $35 to $35.24 per gallon or a minimum connection fee of 7,163 to 7,171." The transcript contains slight inconsistencies in how prior and proposed figures are stated; the exact wording above is verbatim from the auditor's testimony.

No members of the public spoke during the hearing. Council then voted on the ordinance establishing the new connection fees. The resolution establishing the new sewer rate schedule (recorded in the minutes as Resolution 2025-31) passed with four votes in favor and one opposing vote.

The council's action applies the new connection fees to future customers who connect to the city's sewer system. The city attorney and auditor stated on the record that the proposed increases comply with statutory requirements and are uniform within each class, as required by law.

The council opened the hearing at the council's request and closed it after hearing no public comments. The increases take effect as provided by the implementing resolution and city code.