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Middletown board introduces water and sewer billing ordinance revisions after resident asks for five‑year sewer adjustment
Summary
The Burgess and Commissioners introduced Ordinance No. 26.01.01 to move fee amounts to an online schedule, change late fees to a flat rate and expand disconnect causes; a companion resolution with the proposed fee schedule was reviewed. A resident requested a one‑time sewer adjustment every five years for external water use.
The Burgess and Commissioners of Middletown introduced changes to the town's billing and rate code on Jan. 12, 2026, proposing to remove dollar amounts from the municipal code and publish the fee schedule on the town website, change late fees from a percentage to a flat fee, increase disconnection fees and require owners to provide an email address and phone number.
The ordinance (Ordinance No. 26.01.01) would also broaden causes for water service disconnection to include failure to comply with the town's water conservation plan or failure to respond to meter notices. Burgess John Miller recommended several drafting edits, including that “Said late fee schedule shall be published on the town’s website,” reordering a subsection for clarity, changing the phrase “AN” to “ONE for one occurrence during a five‑year period,” and replacing instances of “Town Board” with “Burgess and Commissioners.” A public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for Jan. 26, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.; a vote is expected later that evening if the board proceeds.
Resolution No. 26‑01 accompanies the ordinance and reproduces the proposed water and sewer fees. Commissioners suggested moving the rental‑housing fee to a more appropriate location on the schedule, adding a peddler license fee, and appending the fee schedule to the town's Master Policy as an appendix.
During public comment, Becky Myers of 2 Woodmere Circle asked the board to add language that would allow a one‑time sewer adjustment every five years for properties with unusually high water use that does not drain into the town sanitary sewer system. Myers proposed that property owners submit a written request with documentation explaining the external water use and that any reduction be based on the highest usage from the prior four quarters. Board members and staff raised questions about how such an adjustment would be managed, which types of external water use would qualify, and how usage would be verified; staff noted Frederick County does not grant residential sewer exemptions.
No vote on the ordinance or resolution occurred at the Jan. 12 meeting. The town will hold the public hearing on Jan. 26; if adopted, the updated code provisions would take effect Feb. 15, 2026.
