Kirkland trustees consider sweeping utility fee changes and one-time sales tax option

Trustee Fruit outlined a proposal to restructure the village's utility billing that would raise several flat fees and capital improvement surcharges. He said the lowest residential proposal would be a $10.00 water flat rate and a $10.50 sewer flat rate, with increases to capital improvement fees from $3.00 to $10.00 for water and to $10.50 for sewer. "This would be the lowest rate calculations proposed for residents so they are not extensively burdened with these necessary changes," Fruit said.

President Ryan Block told trustees he would request Village Attorney Matthew Walters prepare an ordinance for the board to consider at a future meeting. Block also told the board that a law passed in 2025 "allows the Village to implement a one-time 1% sales tax increase without a referendum," a statutory citation the minutes do not specify. Clerk Leslie Scidmore raised the possibility of an "Estimate Reading Fee" for customers who do not respond to meter-repair requests; Trustee Benes noted that existing Ordinance 51.02 permits a surcharge for customers who fail to respond to correspondence.

No ordinance was introduced during the meeting; trustees discussed the parameters and directed staff and counsel to draft formal language. The proposal will return for formal consideration once Attorney Walters prepares draft ordinance language and supporting calculations.