Laundromat owner tells council his water bill topped $2,500 and asks about prior surplus transfers

At the council’s public hearing on proposed water‑rate changes, laundromat owner Braden Forsey said his business’s water bill has climbed steeply and asked why the city would raise rates if utility funds previously transferred a surplus to the general fund.

“For my bill is in excess of up to $2,500 now a month and has increased steadily over the last couple of years,” Forsey said, asking for clarification about prior transfers (he recalled an $80,000 transfer in a previous year). Staff responded that enterprise funds use two common transfer mechanisms — charges for services that allocate administrative costs to enterprises and franchise‑fee transfers — and said state law constrains certain transfers. Staff offered to provide a detailed accounting and to have Public Works and finance staff follow up with Forsey.

Councilors and staff used the exchange to emphasize that policy choices determine how much of the burden falls to low‑usage customers versus high‑use commercial accounts; staff said the proposed ordinance would add recurring revenue intended for capital projects, not general fund operating expenses.