Statham officials discuss proposed increases to water and sewer tap fees; resolution required to adopt changes

City Administrator Cheryl Venable outlined a proposal to raise water tap fees, sewer tap fees, monthly water and sewer rates and customer deposits during the Statham City Council work session on July 2.

The proposal, presented as part of the council's discussion items, would affect homeowners, renters and businesses in Statham. Venable said the city is reviewing the current fee structure and is recommending adjustments, but the meeting record does not include the specific dollar amounts or percentage changes she described.

City Attorney Jody Campbell told the council that any change to rates or tap fees would require a formal resolution to be adopted before the new fees could take effect. The transcript records Campbell's procedural guidance but does not cite a specific ordinance or state statute that would govern the timing or notice requirements for such a resolution.

No formal vote on new rates took place at the July 2 session. Councilmembers did not adopt a resolution or ordinance during the meeting; rather, the discussion was recorded as a topic for follow-up by staff. The transcript does not indicate a schedule for when a resolution might be drafted or returned to the council for action.

What the proposal would mean for residents and businesses remains unclear from the record: the meeting notes do not specify the dollar amounts, effective dates, or whether any exemptions or phased-in adjustments were proposed. Those details will need to be provided in a future staff report or in a resolution if the council chooses to proceed.

Votes at a glance: The council approved minutes from prior meetings and adjourned the July 2 session; no votes on the utility rate proposal were recorded.

Next steps: Staff follow-up and a formal resolution were indicated as necessary before any rate changes could be adopted.