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Waynesfield council adopts emergency appropriations and authorizes water-and-sewer rate study
Summary
The Waynesfield Village Council unanimously approved an amendment to its annual appropriation ordinance and voted to start a water and sewer rate study on an emergency basis so work can begin this fall, with council members noting the village may pursue grants to offset study costs.
The Waynesfield Village Council voted unanimously to amend the village annual appropriations and approved an emergency authorization to begin a water-and-sewer rate study.
Council suspended the usual three-reading rule and adopted Ordinance 25-9-2 to amend the annual appropriation ordinance after a short discussion on pump replacement and utility needs. The motion to adopt the appropriation amendment passed with all recorded votes in favor.
Administrator Aaron Bender said the village needs updated financial information to determine whether water and sewer rates are sufficient to cover operating and capital needs. “We need to see if we’re charging enough for our water and our wastewater,” Bender said, describing the consultant’s work to model costs and propose rate options.
Council then approved an emergency resolution to begin the rate study immediately so that a consultant can collect data this fall and be ready to start modeling by January. Members cited a tight window for potential state grant programs and first-come, first-served grant application processes that could reduce the village’s out-of-pocket cost for the study. Council discussed estimated study costs of about $7,500 per utility service ($15,000 total) and the possibility that a grant writer (RCAP) could secure funding that would lower the village’s expense.
A council member noted that prompt action would allow the consultant to complete most of the data-collection work before January, shortening the overall time to a final report. The council’s motion to declare the matter an emergency and proceed passed with recorded yes votes.
Next steps: staff will finalize a contract and provide the consultant the requested data; if grants are available, RCAP would apply for them on the village’s behalf, potentially reducing the village’s share of study costs. The village intends to pay the consultant from 2026 appropriations once the study is complete.
