Big Bear City board directs staff to prepare FY 2026/27 budget reflecting water, sewer and solid-waste rate increases

At a March 11 special meeting, the Board of Directors of the Big Bear City Community Services District directed staff to prepare the Fiscal Year 2026/27 budget incorporating proposed rate increases of 9.5% for water services, 9.5% for sewer services and 9.7% for solid-waste services. Finance Officer Jeanette Prickett presented the draft budget highlights and the rationale for the adjustments.

Prickett said various committees had reviewed preliminary department budgets and that the increases were needed to meet or approach the District’s Reserve Policy. She told the board the recommendation was grounded in the 2025 Rate Study completed by Raftelis, which the presentation cited as the basis for the proposed adjustments.

The board’s direction to staff was recorded in the meeting minutes as: “The Board directed staff to prepare the FY 2026/27 Budget to reflect a 9.5% rate increase for Water services, a 9.5% rate increase for Sewer services, and a 9.7% rate increase for Solid Waste services for Fiscal Year 2026/27 based on the 2025 Rate Study completed by Raftelis.” The transcript does not show a formal roll-call vote on the item; the minutes record the action as a board directive to staff.

President Bob Rowe called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m., and Director Al Ziegler led the Pledge of Allegiance. The meeting record lists Board members Bob Rowe, JoKay Rowe, John Russo, Larry Walsh and Al Ziegler as present. District staff listed as present included Finance Officer Jeanette Prickett and General Manager Glenn Jacklin among others. No members of the public offered comment during the public-comment period.

The special meeting was adjourned by consensus at 2:23 p.m. The minutes indicate staff were directed to prepare the budget reflecting the specified rate increases; the transcript does not record a subsequent public hearing or vote on a final rate ordinance at this meeting.