Niles Council approves three-year electric, water and sewer rate adjustments

NILES, Mich. — Following a public hearing on proposed utility rates, the Niles City Council voted Aug. 26 to implement three-year rate adjustments for electric, water and sewer services.

At the start of the meeting the council held a public hearing "to receive public input on proposed utility rate adjustments." Public comments that evening included local announcements and program outreach; no speaker in the record registered a formal objection to the presented rate plan. After the hearing, council members considered separate motions for electric, water and sewer rate changes.

Councilmember John DiCostanzo moved and Councilmember Gretchen Bertschy seconded the motion to approve the three-year electric rate adjustment "as presented." The roll call vote recorded six yeas (Dunnem, Rogers, Weimer, DiCostanzo, Boggs, Bertschy) and one nay (Councilmember Michael Thompson); one member was absent. The motion carried, approving the electric schedule as presented to the council.

Councilmember Bertschy then moved and Councilmember Rogers seconded approval of the three-year water rate adjustment; the motion passed by roll call with all members present voting yes. The council took a separate motion to approve a three-year sewer rate adjustment (mover: Rogers; second: Dunnem), which also carried unanimously.

The motions on all three utilities were recorded as "approved as presented" in the meeting minutes; the agenda packet and staff materials that detailed specific rate changes were referenced in the motions but are not reproduced in the minutes. The council did not change those figures on the floor.

The council adjourned at 6:46 p.m. and the minutes were later approved Sept. 9, 2024.