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Thief River Falls council approves 2026 sanitation rate increase
Summary
After a presentation from city staff, the council voted to adopt the city’s proposed 2026 sanitation rates to keep the sanitation fund aligned with rising costs; staff said the change would adjust the department’s projected 3.69% budget increase.
The Thief River Falls City Council voted to approve new sanitation service rates for 2026 following a presentation from Mr. Griffin, who said staff reviewed five years of expenses and adjusted service-tier options.
“We did forecast out looking at the last 5 years and we feel we set it with our increased cost, just trying to keep, you know, in check with our expenses versus revenues,” Mr. Griffin told the council during the discussion.
Council members pressed staff on budget impacts. One council member said the sanitation department “should be self sustaining” and asked whether the city’s projected 3.69% increase in the sanitation budget assumed the rate change; staff replied that approving the new rates would adjust that budget projection.
Council members also asked how residents would change service tiers; staff said customers can visit the utility office at any time to move between monthly service tiers and that the tier structure was intended to reflect different service levels added earlier in the year.
Councilman Scott Pream moved to approve the one-year sanitation rate increase; Councilwoman Michelle McCraw seconded. The council voted in favor of the motion.
The rate change will take effect for 2026 billing as adopted; council materials indicated the adjustment aims to better align revenues and expenses for the sanitation utility. Staff said they used historical customer counts and five-year expense trends to set the tiers and forecasts.
