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Birchwood Village council approves sewer, utility fee changes to fund lift‑station work
Summary
The council passed a revised utility-fee schedule on second reading, adopting a modified lift‑station replacement charge and setting the ordinance effective March 1, 2025; councilors agreed not to bill residents retroactively and directed expanded public notification.
Birchwood Village approved changes to its sewer and utility fee schedule on second reading Jan. 14, adopting an amendment to the lift‑station replacement charge and setting the ordinance to take effect March 1, 2025.
Councilors said some of the increases are pass‑through adjustments from White Bear Lake and other service providers. During the public hearing and discussion, one council member calculated the overall change at roughly 12 percent and urged stronger communication to residents about the reasons for the increase. Councilors agreed to add a plain‑language explanation to the newsletter, website and Facebook page and to include a summary on utility bills.
The council amended the fee schedule to collect the lift‑station replacement line as $20 over three quarters rather than the prior four‑quarter construct and expressly removed retroactive billing from the ordinance language so residents will not be charged for the period before the March 1 start date. The motion to pass the ordinance with those edits carried on second reading.
The council also authorized publication of the ordinance summary (to appear in the White Bear Press) to notify customers of the timing and purpose of the change. Staff said the fee increases are intended to cover costs associated with a lift‑station replacement and related capital needs.
What happens next: the ordinance will be published in summary form and utility bills will reflect the updated schedule after March 1, 2025.
