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Mount Kisco residents press board over proposed water-rate hikes as budget hearing closes
Summary
At a continued April 20 public hearing on the Village’s tentative FY2026–27 budget, residents pressed trustees about a proposed water-rate increase, the condition of the Leonard Park wells and options such as tapping the Delaware Aqueduct; the board closed the hearing while leaving written comments open until April 22.
Mayor J. Michael Cindrich opened a continuation of the Village’s public hearing on the tentative FY2026–27 budget on April 20, 2026, drawing multiple residents to ask specifically about proposed increases to water and sewer rates.
Theresa Flora of Spring Street told the board she had asked about the water-rate rise at the prior meeting and had not received follow-up from Village Manager Edward Brancati. “Do we just shut up and pay the bills?” she asked, pressing for specifics on why the water bill would increase.
The nut of the exchange centered on rising costs and aging infrastructure. Mayor Cindrich recalled that when the Village built a filtration plant in the 1990s the estimated cost was about $20 million, and he said the board is preparing for potential new federal mandates that could require additional filtration or treatment. Village Manager Edward Brancati told residents the Village is not running out of groundwater, that annual sampling is published in the water-quality report, and that “costs have gone up and usage has gone down,” leaving rate increases as one means to cover fixed system costs.
Residents raised detailed complaints and options. Lou Terlizzi asked whether tapping into the Delaware Aqueduct had been explored and criticized prior handling of a leaking Chase water tank; he said past decisions and sales of water to neighboring jurisdictions had constrained local options. Multiple commenters noted that a Village Manager-proposed 13.75% water-rate increase had been discussed and that residents were seeing differing figures on bills, including a 7% number and a separate 5% sewer increase on combined bills.
Trustee Thomas G. Luzio moved — and Trustee Heather Bryant seconded — to close the public hearing while keeping written comments open until Wednesday, April 22. The motion passed with Deputy Mayor Karen B. Schleimer voting Nay; the remaining trustees voted Aye.
What happens next: the Board scheduled additional budget work sessions and a special meeting to finalize the budget before the statutory adoption deadline at month’s end. Manager Brancati and staff are expected to provide follow-up information to residents on proposed water-rate options, projected capital work tied to potential filtration requirements, and comparisons of alternatives such as intermunicipal purchases or aqueduct connections.
