Council accepts annual sewer charge report; rates unchanged for next year

City engineers presented the annual sewer charge report on July 9 and the City Council accepted the staff recommendation to keep sewer rates unchanged for the next year.

Blake Behringer, representing the city’s engineering services wastewater division, briefed the council on the annual report and rate study. “The sewer rates have not changed from last year,” Behringer said, and staff reported revenue is down by just under 1%, attributed largely to reduced water use at multifamily properties. Behringer told the council the city is maintaining policy reserves that aim to keep at least $5,000,000 above operating expenses to protect cash‑flow and pay for unplanned emergencies, including ongoing work on a sewer emergency project.

Council discussion and vote: Council members asked for clarification on rate stability and whether skipping an increase now could cause a larger single increase later. Staff said the rate study considered multi‑year projections and recommended no increase this year; the council then closed the public hearing and unanimously accepted the staff recommendation.

What this means: No rate increase was approved for the coming year; staff will continue with capital planning and an updated sewer master plan to identify future capital needs. Council members noted the potential cost of a known sewer collapse on Graves Avenue (discussed as a $3–4 million repair in the discussion) but concluded reserves and the rate study support holding rates steady now.

The council’s vote on the motion to accept the report was unanimous.