Brightwaters board votes to raise canal fees to fund urgent repairs

The Brightwaters Board of Trustees voted to raise canal fees, increasing the resident rate from $50 to $55 per foot and the nonresident rate from $80 to $85 per foot, to create a reserve for canal repairs following severe winter damage.

Mayor (S4) said the village has been hit by repeated storm damage to pilings, bulkheads and the sailboat basin and described the fee change as a way to ensure the Canal Enterprise Fund pays for ongoing upkeep. “So the resident fee would go up to $55, and the nonresident would go up to $85,” the mayor said during the meeting.

Trustees and residents debated whether $5 is sufficient. Staff reported the Canal Enterprise Fund holds roughly $193,500 but also noted upcoming bond payments and planned repairs. As one trustee laid out, a $5 per‑foot increase at the village’s estimated slip count would yield about $21,000 in additional revenue; the board discussed applying that increase toward a roughly $32,000–$33,000 program to reset lifted poles and other immediate repairs.

The motion to enact the fee increase passed on a voice vote after discussion. Trustees said the change is meant to keep canal fees dedicated to canal maintenance, not the general fund, and to begin building a slush fund for unexpected storm damage. The board plans to monitor revenue and may revisit the rate if the fund proves insufficient.

Next steps: the fee change was approved by the board at the meeting and staff will implement billing adjustments and reflect the change in the tentative budget the board will publish ahead of the April budget hearing.