Commission tables proposed wastewater, stormwater and solid‑waste rate choices to May 7 after extended public‑works briefing

The Unified Government commission on April 16 heard a multi‑hour presentation by Public Works on proposed rate options for wastewater (sanitary sewer), stormwater and solid‑waste utilities, then voted unanimously to table final rate decisions to the commission’s May 7 meeting so staff can return with additional financial analysis and clarifications.

Public Works Director Troy Shaw and senior engineering manager Sarah Schafer framed each utility’s choices around three levels of service: required (baseline, compliance and emergency response), responsible (industry‑standard maintenance and reliability) and resilient (future readiness, capacity for growth and watershed planning). For each utility staff offered a three‑scenario menu aligned with those levels.

Sanitary/wastewater: staff described scenario A as the status quo (a previously approved 4% increase), scenario B as a compliance path that adds roughly 1% in May and yields a 7% total for 2027 to meet consent‑decree obligations and increase emergency cash (staff estimated the average household impact at about $0.56 per month starting May 1, with a total household effect of roughly $3.97/month in 2027). Scenario C adds an economic development/resiliency component (an additional 2% now, 8% in 2027) to fund a system‑wide study and long‑range capital planning.

Stormwater: staff described the charge as an impervious‑area‑based fee that pays for MS4 permit compliance, inlet and channel maintenance and longer‑term watershed/resilience projects. Scenario B would provide matching and capital readiness funds (estimated at about $0.20/month per household increase for 2026), while scenario C would fund a $2 million watershed planning study and larger 2027 increases to position the UG to pursue grants and unlock certain economic‑development opportunities.

Solid waste: presentation outlined three approaches including (A) continuing to have KCK residents fund city facility collections, graffiti cleanup and disposal programs (monthly rate rising from $20.15 to about $21.46 in 2027), (B) limiting the monthly rate to strictly residential disposal with other services funded from the general fund, or (C) a hybrid that retains city facility costs on residents but removes a subsidy for nearby jurisdictions (Bonner Springs/Edwardsville), producing a similar but slightly lower 2027 rate change (~$21.35).

Commissioners pressed staff on several items: clearer plain‑language explanations of what stormwater fees pay for, how credits and appeals work (credits of up to ~70% exist for qualifying commercial properties; residential credits are not currently implemented), whether the American Royal origination fee ($5 million) could be leveraged to soften rate impacts, and possibilities for WIFIA or other low‑cost financing to accelerate projects while smoothing rate effects. Staff agreed to return with precise dollar estimates for what each 1% change yields in total revenue and to map the one‑time origination dollars to near‑term capital options versus ongoing debt service.

Commissioner David Davis moved to table items 9.1 (sanitary/wastewater), 9.2 (stormwater) and 9.3 (solid waste) to the May 7 full commission meeting; the motion carried on a unanimous roll call. Staff said they will present the requested follow‑up numbers, examples of candidate projects that could use origination or other one‑time funds, and an analysis of grant/matching strategies before the next vote.

What to watch: staff follow‑up on (a) the exact revenue per 1% across residential and commercial rate bases, (b) whether origination or American Royal funds can be used for specific economic‑development‑tied infrastructure projects that would reduce the need for rate increases, and (c) any expanded credit programs for residential properties where feasible.