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Goshen council approves multiple fee and rate ordinances on first reading, sets further review
Summary
On Dec. 11 the Goshen Common Council approved on first reading a package of ordinances including building and cemetery fee increases, a parks alcohol policy for permitted events, and water and sewer rate changes; several items will return for second reading or further analysis in January.
GOSHEN — The Goshen Common Council on Dec. 11 approved, on first reading, a set of ordinances that adjust local fees and set new utility rates while asking staff for additional analysis on fiscal impacts.
The council approved Ordinance 52-43 to amend the City of Goshen Building Department Fee Ordinance, which building commissioner Myron Grice said reflects a cost-of-living adjustment for 2025. "Each year, we do an evaluation of where we're at for our cost and overhead for our department," Grice said, and the change for licensing and registration was implemented as a 3% increase.
Council also adopted Ordinance 52-44, which phases cemetery fee increases at 3% annually over a 10-year period with amounts rounded to the nearest $5 for easier public use. The council noted those increases do not fully cover cemetery operating costs and that subsidies from the general fund remain necessary; staff were asked to return with a more detailed analysis of what would be required to make cemetery operations self-sustaining.
On utilities, Dustin, the water superintendent, presented Ordinance 52-46 (water) and Ordinance 52-47 (sewer). He told the council a typical residential customer with a 3/4-inch meter (4,000 gallons) would see the water base rate rise by $2.61 a month (from $3.40 to $3.67) and the sewer charge would move from $7.73 to $8.19 per 100 cubic feet in 2026. Dustin said the combined effect for an average customer would amount to roughly a 6.7% increase. He said staff will follow with a full cost-of-service study next year before making further rate recommendations.
The council also advanced Ordinance 52-45 to allow the limited and regulated possession and consumption of alcohol at certain permitted park events, applying requirements such as event permits, ATC permitting, insurance, licensed servers and, for larger gatherings, a licensed security company.
Additional appropriations in Ordinance 52-48 were approved on first reading, including funds tied to township capital expenditures and reimbursements to Red Hawk Academy; council and redevelopment members requested clarification that a brownfield cleanup line item referenced Bridal Cycle Works and not a different site.
All of the above passed on first reading; water and sewer increases will return for a second reading in January, and staff will supply requested comparisons and analyses for public review before final adoption.
What happens next: several items (notably the water rate change) are scheduled for second reading in January and staff will provide detailed line-by-line comparisons of prior and proposed fees and the cost-of-service study results where applicable.
