Town Manager Fiscal Year 26 Fee Hearing

This public hearing discusses proposed fee increases for the Department of Public Works (DPW) for the fiscal year 2026, effective July 1, 2025. The increases affect solid waste, water pollution control, and water supply services.

Watch the meeting. AI supported summary below. Corrections welcome; see contact page.

Key Points

• Solid Waste: Significant increases are proposed across the board for transfer station permits, including passenger vehicle fees (based on bag count), construction/demolition disposal, and mattress/box spring disposal. A rate consultant analyzed operational costs and revenues to justify these increases.
• Water Pollution Control: A 5% increase across all sewer rates and a 4% increase in sewage receiving fees are proposed. The rate model was developed with assistance from New Gen Strategies and Solutions, considering operational costs, capital improvements, debt service, and projected sewer use.
• Water Supply: A 4.25% rate increase is requested, primarily due to increased personnel costs, contracts with water system operators (including activated carbon medium), and debt service for aging infrastructure and PFAS remediation. New Gen Strategies and Solutions also assisted in developing this rate model.
• Rate Consultant: All three divisions utilized a rate consultant (New Gen Strategies and Solutions) to justify the proposed increases based on operational costs, expenses, revenues, and capital programs.