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Committee discusses using free cash to reduce proposed wastewater rate increase and refers transfer to full council
Summary
Committee members discussed a proposed transfer of $3.83 million in wastewater retained earnings to a wastewater special projects/stabilization fund — including options to use a portion to reduce a projected FY2026 sewer rate increase — and referred the item to the full council on an 11-0 vote.
The New Bedford Committee on Finance received presentations and extensive questions on Monday about whether to use available wastewater retained earnings to lower a proposed FY2026 sewer-rate increase, and voted unanimously to refer a proposed transfer of $3,830,000 to the full City Council.
Attorney David Geratowski reminded the committee of the charter process: the City adopts a wastewater budget and then must set sewer rates within 14 days of that budget adoption to fund the enterprise. Justin (Deputy Commissioner, Department of Public Infrastructure) and finance staff presented budget projections showing a requested wastewater budget of about $35.6 million for FY2026, up from $31.7 million in…
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