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Council sets 6% water rate increase for 2027, plus Bay County pass-through
Summary
Council approved a 6% water-rate increase for fiscal 2027 and will add the Bay County pass-through charge (about 2.7%), a move intended to smooth a consultant-recommended 15% 'catch-up' over multiple years.
Council members voted to raise the city's 2027 water rate by 6% and to add the Bay County pass-through charge. The motion was made by a council member (S6) and passed by roll call. Council framed the 6% action as a smoothing approach to avoid a single-year 15% spike recommended by the consultant.
"I make a motion that we increase the 2027 water rate by 6%," Council member (S6) said during the workshop, and the council approved the motion. Council members and staff noted the final customer impact depends on Bay County's annual pass-through, which the transcript recorded as roughly 2.7 percent; one council member warned that with pass-throughs the effective hit could reach "9 to 10% depending on what Bay County does."
