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Farmville adopts 2026-27 budget, adds $5 flat monthly fee per utility to stabilize rates
Summary
The Farmville Board of Commissioners approved the 2026-27 budget, including a $5 monthly flat fee on water, sewer and electric bills (about $15 total per household) and an increase in outside group funding from $20,000 to $23,240; the board also moved funds from the façade grant line to cover the change.
Farmville adopted its 2026-27 budget on June 1, approving a package that adds a $5 monthly flat fee to each of the town's water, sewer and electric bills to stabilize utility costs and increases outside funding for local nonprofits.
Town Manager Justin Oakes said the flat fee approach was chosen to shield residents from potentially larger usage-based spikes passed along from wholesale providers. “Instead of doing it at a rate in which it would increase based off of your usage, we're doing it at a flat rate of $5 each month,” Oakes said, adding that the change is intended to reduce the impact of wholesale electricity and service-cost increases on customers.
Oakes told the board the $5 charge applies separately to water, sewer and electric, meaning households could see about $15 in additional flat charges a month if applied to all three services. He framed the move as an effort to avoid a larger percentage increase on usage rates, which could be harsher in months of high consumption.
The adopted budget also adjusts outside funding for local organizations: the total recommended allocation rose from $20,000 to $23,240, with $3,240 reallocated from the façade grant program so $6,760 remains available for façade grant applicants this year.
Residents who spoke at the public hearing urged caution. Valerie Garner, representing the Farmville Senior Counsel, asked whether the increases would take effect in July and sought confirmation of the amounts. Casey Salem, another resident, argued flat fees hurt people on fixed incomes more than usage-based increases. Pam Strickland, a local nonprofit leader, urged the board not to cut nonprofit support and asked officials to restore last year’s funding levels where possible.
Commissioner Fields moved to adopt the budget as presented; after a roll-call-style call for aye, the board approved the ordinance.
The budget will take effect at the start of the new fiscal year. The town said specific postings and additional implementation details appear in the budget packet and on the town website.
