Commission defers consideration of Raftelis rate-study contract

Commissioners deferred action on Resolution 2025-060, which would have authorized an agreement with Raftelis Financial Consultants Inc. to perform a rate study for sewer and stormwater. Public Works Director Jeff Odom said he had agreed with Commissioner Ashiera to seek additional pricing from engineering firms currently responding to an active RFP (to avoid violating the cone of silence) and recommended tabling the resolution until staff could compare proposals.

The commission voted to defer the item to the next regular meeting; roll-call votes were Yes across the board. The item will reappear on the next regular agenda after staff completes outreach to engineering partners and compares scopes and costs.

Why it matters: A rate study could lead to adjustments in sewer and stormwater charges to better align rates with costs; commissioners wanted a competitive comparison before committing to a specific consultant.