Chesapeake Beach approves $335,000 in temporary water-and-sewer relief and funds $100,000 rate study

Chesapeake Beach — The Town Council voted to adopt two emergency ordinances authorizing short-term relief for water and sewer account holders and to fund a professional rate analysis, the council announced at a special meeting. The council approved a temporary 20% credit for qualifying water and sewer accounts for the third and fourth quarters of fiscal year 2025 and established a new line item of up to $100,000 to pay consultants for a full utility fund and rate analysis.

The actions put $335,000 toward temporary customer credits and authorized up to $100,000 for outside professional services to review the town’s water and sewer rate structure and utility management. Councilman Schulz, who sponsored the ordinance, described the package as the short-term relief and a second phase “to do the water and sewer audit, the full scale.”

Why it matters: Town leaders said the steps are meant to give immediate relief to customers while hiring consultants to recommend a longer-term, sustainable billing and rate structure. Councilmembers emphasized caution about rushing a full rate-structure change and asked consultants to prioritize analysis that informs the FY2026 budget cycle.

What the council approved and how it was changed - Emergency ordinance EO-25-02 amended the Utility Fund budget to provide temporary relief for water and sewer account holders (20% credit for Q3–Q4 FY25) and to create a new professional-services…