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Willard council picks 10% outer‑city differential as preferred water and sewer-rate structure; public hearing required before adoption
Summary
After staff presented two draft rate structures (flat and a 10% outer‑city differential), the council selected the 10% differential as the preferred option for water and indicated the same preference for sewer; council members and a resident emphasized fairness between in‑city and out‑of‑city customers. Staff will confirm hearing requirements and return final ordinances.
The Willard City Council signaled preference for a 10% differential that would charge customers outside the city more than in‑city customers for water and sewer service.
Staff presented two draft ordinances for both water and wastewater rates: one that applies a flat structure and one that applies a 10% differential for customers outside the city. Staff said both approaches are designed to generate the revenue needed for capital and operating costs and recommended the council review rates annually. A council member proposed reviewing rates again in six months and performing an in‑house rate study rather than hiring an outside analyst.
A resident who reported collecting feedback from neighbors said the input favored a differential. "The citizen input that I got was 100% — they felt there should be a differential," the resident said during discussion.
A motion to select the 10% differential for water passed on a roll call (three yes, one no). A corresponding motion to select a 10% differential for sewer produced a split roll call (two yes, two no). Council members and staff repeatedly noted statutory public‑hearing requirements for utility‑rate ordinances; the clerk said staff will confirm whether a new hearing is required because the draft ordinance is being treated as a new ordinance with a blank effective date.
Council members directed staff to: confirm statutory hearing requirements, prepare the ordinance language with the selected effective date, and return the item for the required readings and hearings. Any final rate change will require formal adoption after those procedures.
What to watch: staff follow‑up on whether a new public hearing is required, the scheduling of readings and hearings, and the in‑house rate study or financial pro forma that staff plans to use to validate revenue projections.
