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Consultant says sewer revenue falls short; recommends 15% rate increase and new minimum charge
Summary
A consultant told the Pittsfield Town Council that actual sewer revenue is about $332,000, short of the roughly $455,000 needed for the sewer operating budget. She recommended adding a 9,000‑gallon minimum charge and a 15% rate increase, and council asked staff for account‑level impacts and a public hearing plan.
Analise, a consultant presenting at the special Town Council meeting, told councilors that the town's recorded sewer revenue is “only around $332,000,” substantially below figures previously cited and below the department's $455,000 budget request.
Analise said the town's consumption‑only billing (no minimum charge) makes revenue unstable and harder to budget. She recommended adding a minimum quarterly charge tied to 9,000 gallons (about 1,200 cubic feet) and a 15% rate increase starting Jan. 1, and then reassessing the budget once future debt service from anticipated sewer projects is known. She said a 10% increase would raise estimated revenue to about $447,000; a 15% increase would raise it to roughly $468,000.
Why it matters: without a base minimum, small users can drive revenue below the level needed to operate and maintain wastewater infrastructure and to fund future capital work. Analise told the council the recommended package would cover most of the gap and provide a small contingency while the town finalizes project debt projections.
Councilors pressed on equity and outreach. One councilor representing District Four asked how many households would be moved from very low quarterly bills to a higher minimum and urged staff to consider effects on fixed‑income residents. The council asked staff to run a customer‑level impact analysis showing how many accounts would pay the proposed minimum, and Analise offered to provide the spreadsheet and breakouts by the next day.
Next steps: councilors directed staff to return impact numbers and to prepare the public‑notice and mailer language needed for a hearing if the council moves forward. No formal vote was recorded on any rate change during the special meeting; the council treated the item as directional and asked staff for more data and a formal agenda item for a regular meeting.
