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Select Board approves water and sewer rate changes under Option 3, including $3 quarterly service fee and $85/1,000-gallon septage fee
Summary
After a lengthy discussion of trade-offs between fixed fees and usage rates, the Select Board voted to adopt Option 3 for water and sewer rates — increasing the basic quarterly service fee by $3 and approving a septage disposal fee of $85 per 1,000 gallons — with an effective date proposed and further implementation details to be handled by staff.
The Select Board voted to adopt Option 3 in the town’s water and sewer rate review, a package that adjusts both fixed service fees and usage charges to improve revenue predictability for capital and operating costs.
Staff presented four options and emphasized that increasing a basic service fee spreads costs more evenly and provides predictable revenue for capital-intensive water and sewer infrastructure. The committee’s materials described Option 3 as a combination of modest step‑rate increases and a $3 quarterly basic service fee (a $12 annual flat increase per customer in the package described at the meeting). The motion adopted by the board also included setting a septage disposal fee of $85 per 1,000 gallons.
Board members discussed distributional effects — noting that fixed fees can be proportionally more burdensome on low‑use and fixed‑income households — and debated phasing and timing. One member said the total top increase for the year equates to about $12 annually per household. After discussion a motion to approve Option 3 and adopt the septage fee passed on the board floor.
Implementation: The board approved the change and asked staff to implement the new structure effective 07/01/2026 (as recommended in the motion). Staff will return with final ordinance language and operational details to ensure appropriate notice to residents and billing systems updates.
