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Jamestown utilities outline 2026 rate changes and Jamestown Community Fiber rollout
Summary
Utility staff told the council there will be no general solid-waste or wastewater rate increases for 2026, a 7.5% water-rate increase effective Jan. 1, and a pending electric base-rate case (filed for just under a 10% increase) awaiting Public Service Commission action; staff also reported progress on the Jamestown Community Fiber network with ~5,000 passings and ~1,200 signups.
Utility staff presented budget and rate-schedule updates for multiple utility divisions and provided an on-the-record update on the city's Jamestown Community Fiber project.
Staff said the solid-waste and wastewater divisions will have no general rate increases for 2026 but noted some schedule and service-charge adjustments. To avoid a broader solid-waste rate increase, the utility board approved a new $20 residential yard-waste sticker for user-specific costs. Officials said solid-waste residential charges will be about $13.50 per month for customers who recycle once during the billing period.
The water division will implement a 7.5% rate increase effective Jan. 1, and staff outlined definition updates, access-to-meter language, and higher reconnect fees in the water schedule. For electric, staff said the utility filed a base-rate case with the Public Service Commission seeking an increase "just under 10%"; because the electric division is regulated, any base-rate change requires PSC approval. Staff estimated that the potential increase would amount to less than $5 per month for a typical customer but said they will provide a more precise calculation when the PSC order is issued.
On broadband, staff reported continued progress on the Jamestown Community Fiber network: roughly 5,000 south-side passings of mainline fiber are in place and about 1,200 prospective customers have signed up. The network will be open-access, with two Internet service providers on the platform (FiberSpark and Sumo Fiber). Staff referenced introductory pricing tiers in the rollout materials (the presentation cited a 300 Mbps plan and a 2 Gbps plan at $55 per month) and said the program includes 90 days of free service for early sign-ups. Staff also said the city will create a new enterprise division of the BPU for the fiber program when rollout and grant conditions require it; the grant supporting the project runs through the end of next year.
Staff said the new municipal fuel station construction is expected to be complete in January and that training and access procedures are being finalized. The council did not take immediate rate votes during the meeting; staff said the board and council will take additional actions as PSC decisions and internal approvals occur.
