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Zeeland BPW approves referral of 2026 water and electric rate ordinances to City Council
Summary
The Zeeland Board of Public Works voted Nov. 11 to refer proposed 2026 water and electric rate ordinances to City Council after staff presented a 4.9% water revenue increase and an electric rate design with 1.5% annual increases and a PCA base-rate adjustment.
The Zeeland Board of Public Works voted Nov. 11 to recommend that City Council consider ordinances updating the city’s water and electric rate schedules for 2026.
Consultant Jillian Jurczyk of Utility Financial Solutions presented the electric rate design, which the board described as a cost-based plan that includes a 1.5% system rate increase effective Jan. 1 of 2026, 2027 and 2028 and a $0.015 Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) true-up that would set a new PCA base rate at $0.060 to reflect higher power supply costs. ACM/Finance Director Plockmeyer presented the 2026 water rate design recommending a 4.9% overall revenue increase to preserve reserves, recover inflationary and debt costs, and support infrastructure reinvestment.
The board approved motions to forward the draft ordinances to the Nov. 17, 2025 City Council agenda for consideration and adoption. The proposed water ordinance updates Section 40-121 of the Zeeland City Code to reflect the revised readiness-to-serve and commodity charges; the electric ordinance updates code language to match the adopted rate design and cost-of-service principles.
Plockmeyer said the water adjustment aligns with a multi-year cost-of-service plan begun in 2025 and is intended to maintain long-term financial stability for the utility. Jurczyk framed the electric updates as a measure to keep rates transparent and financially sustainable given rising power supply costs.
No vote tallies by individual Commissioner are recorded in the meeting minutes beyond the notation that each motion carried with "all voting aye." The board packet and ordinance language were forwarded for City Council review on Nov. 17, 2025; no final City Council action is recorded in these minutes.
The Board asked staff to remain available for Council questions and to provide customer-facing materials explaining the changes.
