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Brewer council adopts $21.1 million FY2027 city and school budgets and routine fiscal orders
Summary
The Brewer City Council on June 2 approved the city and school Fiscal Year 2027 appropriation totaling $21,134,573, adopted Water and Water Pollution Control Facility budgets, set tax due dates and passed multiple routine orders and reallocations; all major measures passed by unanimous vote.
The Brewer City Council on June 2 adopted the Fiscal Year 2027 city and school appropriation totaling $21,134,573 and approved related municipal budget measures after routine consideration at City Hall. The council also approved the Brewer Water Pollution Control Facility budget and the Brewer Water Department budget as presented.
The council approved a Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF) budget with total expenditures of $6,566,555, including $2,087,000 in capital improvements; the WPCF budget proposes a sewer rate adjustment of $0.37 per 100 cubic feet (3.0%), which the budget materials said would raise the average residential sewer bill by $4.96 per quarter. The Water Department budget lists total expenditures of $3,652,675 and anticipates a 3% water rate change that would increase the average residential water bill by about $3.71 per quarter. The Water Department separately filed a rate-change notice with the Maine Public Utilities Commission for formal review.
The council also set the municipal tax due dates and interest rates for the year, and authorized a series of routine fiscal and administrative orders on the consent calendar. Notable financial housekeeping items included the reallocation of $148,311 in water debt-service budgeted for FY2026 to the Water Department’s General Capital Reserve and $73,756 in sewer debt-service funds to the Sewer Asset Reserve to support future capital projects. The council committed water and sewer assessments for collection totaling $857,054.02 and $799,364.43, respectively, and accepted private donations and in-kind contributions to support city events and volunteer programs.
Councilor Michele LaBree Daniels moved the relevant orders and resolves for consideration; Councilor Soubanh Phanthay seconded the procedural motion to pass the consent calendar. The motion to adopt the orders and resolves passed by a unanimous vote of the council.
The council also approved detailed school budget articles that authorize $30,255,848 in total school expenditures for 2026–27, including $11,328,962 for regular instruction and $6,727,919 for special education; the Brewer School Committee recommended $4,114,739 in additional local funds to supplement state funding. The school budget materials list estimated federal and program receipts such as Title I, school lunch subsidies and other anticipated grant receipts.
The council concluded the fiscal business portion of its agenda and moved on to other items on the docket; all budget and routine fiscal measures referenced above were adopted at the June 2 meeting.
The council’s action leaves rate proposals that require external review — notably the Water Department’s 3% retail-rate filing with the Maine Public Utilities Commission — subject to any further procedural steps and MPUC review.
