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Darmstadt council adopts portable-meter ordinance, new well-user administrative fees and matches sewer electric fee to CenterPoint increase
Summary
At its March 18 meeting, the Darmstadt Town Council adopted Ordinance 2025-1 (portable meters), approved Ordinance 2025-2 adding administrative fees tied to well-user affidavits, and agreed to raise the sewer electric flat fee to match CenterPoint’s rate increase. All votes were 4-0.
Darmstadt — The Town Council on March 18 adopted a package of measures affecting sewer billing and metering that officials said are meant to improve billing accuracy and align the town’s utility charges with external rate changes.
Attorney Josh Claybourn read the second reading of Ordinance 2025-1, a portable-meter ordinance, and the council approved it on a 4-0 voice vote after a motion from Council Member Cecil Poag and a second from Crystal Kahre. The council also passed Ordinance 2025-2, which adds administrative fees related to well-user affidavits, on a 4-0 voice vote (motion by Poag, seconded by Ray Engler).
Clerk-Treasurer Mallory Lowe told the council she has been updating well-user fees based on affidavits approved by Sewer Superintendent Aaron Enlow and that the town completed two mass mailings — one to 61 well users and one to all 550 sewer customers — to distribute the affidavits and related notices. Lowe said the mailings cost about $500 and that the town filed its annual Video Franchise Fee Report with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission by the March 1 deadline.
Separately, the council approved an increase to the sewer electric flat fee to match a rate hike by CenterPoint. That motion also passed 4-0 (moved by Poag, seconded by Engler). Council members did not expand on the exact new flat-fee dollar amount during the meeting minutes; the motion record shows the change was approved to align with CenterPoint’s increase.
Why it matters: The ordinances and fee changes affect how sewer customers are billed and how the town recovers utility-related costs. Officials framed the measures as administrative and compliance steps to ensure accurate billing and to reflect external electricity cost changes that affect sewer operations.
The council’s roll of routine approvals — acceptance of last month’s minutes, the monthly financial report and accounts payable — also passed on unanimous voice votes earlier in the meeting. The council adjourned at 7:48 p.m.
