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Council committee authorizes quote request for sanitary and storm sewer rate study
Summary
The committee authorized staff to request a quote from United Financial Solutions for a sanitary and storm sewer rate study after staff reported the storm fund has had negative cash balances and sanitary is projected to be negative by end of 2027; prior study cost about $12,100.
Finance director Connie Hillman told the Personnel & Finance Committee on Sept. 15 that staff is seeking authorization to obtain a quote from United Financial Solutions (UFS) to complete a rate study for the city’s sanitary and storm sewer funds.
Hillman said the storm fund has experienced negative cash balances for the last two years and that projections show the sanitary fund could have a negative cash balance by the end of 2027. She said the previous study (done in 2023) cost about $12,100, with roughly $6,900 allocated to sanitary and $5,200 to storm, and staff recommended continuing with UFS because of their familiarity with Brainerd’s utilities. Committee members raised concerns about spending $12,000 to do what one member characterized as a “simple math problem,” but the committee authorized staff to solicit a quote and return with a proposed service agreement.
The action authorized staff to gather a formal cost and scope estimate; the committee did not approve contracting terms or an exact fee at this meeting.
