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Millis Select Board approves water (5%), sewer (3%) and stormwater (2%) rate increases; continues capital assessment hearing
Summary
After a consultant presentation, the Select Board voted unanimously to raise water rates 5%, sewer 3% and stormwater 2% for FY27, citing upcoming PFAS treatment debt and other projects; the board continued a related capital-assessment-fee hearing to Aug. 3 and approved multiple related purchases and appointments.
The Millis Select Board on July 20 voted unanimously to increase water rates by 5%, sewer rates by 3% and stormwater rates by 2% for fiscal year 2027 after a rate-study presentation from consultant Hassan Doza of Tye and Bond.
"We are recommending an increase of 5% for the water enterprise," Doza said, identifying several drivers for the increase: roughly $215,000 in PFAS-treatment debt service due in FY28, about $20,000 each for a meter-replacement debt service line and a lead-service-line program, and the need to bolster retained earnings for future obligations.
Doza and colleague Josh Bouchard described an affordability option that blends the towns fixed capital-assessment fee into volumetric and fixed meter charges. Bouchard said the analysis shows the blended approach would cut low-user bills by about 23% and typical residential bills by about 9% while shifting more of the revenue burden onto high-volume and commercial customers (examples shown: a 33% increase for some high users and a 47% increase for heavy commercial accounts).
Board members pressed on distributional effects. One business owner objected to higher costs for a small local commercial base, saying in part: "As the largest commercial property owner in this town ... a 50% increase is gonna impact a lot of people for a teeny tiny base." The consultant and board acknowledged the trade-off and agreed to schedule a special meeting to get precise counts of high-usage accounts before finalizing the capital-assessment fee plan.
Procedurally, the board closed the fee-setting portion of the public hearing, voted the three rate increases as presented and then continued the separate hearing about the fixed capital-assessment fee to noon on Aug. 3 via Zoom so staff can supply additional customer-count data.
The board also handled multiple related motions and votes during the same meeting: - Appointments: ratified Joseph Sullivan as lieutenant/paramedic and John Schindler as full-time firefighter/EMT (both ratifications passed unanimously); appointed Alexander Kraflin to the Conservation Commission (term to 06/30/2028). - Capital purchase: authorized the DPW to buy equipment for the meter-replacement program from Ty Sales of Sudbury for an amount not to exceed $917,633; vote passed unanimously. - Meter charge: approved raising the charge for new water-hookup meters from $180 to $272 to reflect supplier price increases. - Contract: authorized the town administrator to sign a master services agreement with Tineo Consulting Inc. (DBA World Band) for FY27 managed IT services at an annual cost not to exceed $56,556. - Event permit: approved a contingent one-day alcohol license for the Black Harp mobile pub for Millis Community Day (Aug. 20), contingent on fee payment and town council approval.
The board and consultants agreed to schedule a special meeting before the current statutory deadlines so staff can supply counts of users above the proposed volume thresholds and the board can take a final vote on the capital-assessment fee.
