Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Rates topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Middletown council hears proposal to codify a 0.3% water-rate increase; no vote taken at hearing
Summary
At a May 4 hybrid public hearing, the director of water and sewer said a proposed resolution would codify a 0.3% overall water-rate increase to $4.67 per 100 cubic feet while meter charges would remain unchanged; the council did not vote on the resolution at the hearing.
The Middletown Common Council held a hybrid public hearing May 4 on proposed changes to the city’s water-billing schedule. Joe, the director of water and sewer, told the council the proposed resolution "will codify the water rates," adding that the increase was "as close to 0 as we could keep them for an increase. It was 0.3% increase overall. So we're looking at a $4.67 rate per 100 cubic feet," and that meter charges would remain the same.
The matter was presented to give property owners and other interested parties an overview before a formal vote. The chair said the council would vote on the resolution at its May 13 meeting, but the clerk asserted the council would "vote tonight," and Councilman Vincent J. Lofredo expressed uncertainty about the timing. No formal vote on the water-rate resolution occurred during the public hearing; instead the council moved to adjourn that portion of the meeting.
Why it matters: The change affects property owners served by the city water system and would modestly raise volumetric charges. The director said the overall increase is about 0.3%, and that the per-100-cubic-feet rate under the proposal is $4.67; meter charges were described as unchanged from last year.
Councilman Vincent J. Lofredo moved to adjourn the public hearing; the motion was seconded (the transcript does not specify who seconded). A voice vote was recorded with "Aye" and the motion carried. The council then announced it would convene its regular meeting at 7:00 p.m.
Details the council presented at the hearing include the meeting notice attestation, which listed council members and stated the hearing would be held in person in the council chamber and remotely via Webex on May 4, 2026, at 6:45 p.m. The order was attested by Mayor Eugene Pino Serra and the chief of police Eric M. Costa in the published call of the meeting.
Next steps: The council did not take a formal vote on the rate resolution at the hearing. The chair indicated a vote would occur May 13; the hearing record reflects conflicting statements about the vote timing that the council should clarify before the next public meeting.
