Jackson council approves two-year water/wastewater rate increase after divided debate

Jackson City Council voted 4–3 on June 10 to adopt a two-year water and wastewater rate resolution (Option 1) that raises the city water bill by $5 per month and the wastewater bill by $6 per month for the next two fiscal years.

The vote followed an extended public-comment period and more than an hour of council discussion on the proposal

nd alternatives. Residents said the increases would strain households already coping with rising costs. Laura Schlecky, a local property owner, told the council that the proposed increases "stack on top of everything else that's going on and gonna bury taxpayers," and she questioned the city's spending priorities and past staffing decisions.

City staff and backers of the resolution argued that modest, planned rate increases are needed to operate and maintain an aging water and wastewater system and to position the city to capture matching grants. City Manager Jonathan Green told councilors staff had produced "pretty conservative requests" and that Option 1 was intended to preserve current operations rather than fund extensive new projects.

Council debate touched on multiple trade-offs: whether to adopt a one-year versus two-year increase; the possibility of moving from quarterly to monthly billing to ease payment burdens; the city —ffort to replace lead service lines within the state-mandated window; and whether the city had prioritized free water hookups to spur development while seeking rate increases from long-time residents.

Supporters said delaying action would only make future fixes costlier. One councilor said the increase would still keep Jackson below the statewide average and that grants and other funding sources had been maximized, noting staff had secured over $36 million in grants in the past five years.

Opponents emphasized distributional impacts. Gerald Montgomery, a longtime resident, urged sensitivity to seniors on fixed incomes and said the council should avoid sudden increases that leave vulnerable households unable to pay. Councilors also discussed administrative changes such as a move to monthly billing as a potential mitigation measure.

The council adopted staff-recommended Option 1 by roll call (4 in favor, 3 opposed). The city manager thanked the council, and the meeting proceeded with other agenda items.

The ordinance and rate resolution are effective as of the adopted fiscal schedule; further administrative steps and outreach were discussed as part of implementation.