3 days ago
Emmitsburg to reduce water rate increases for residents
The town of Emmitsburg modified a previous ordinance to increase water rates by 15%, rather than 36%, in fiscal year 2026.
Water rates will also increase annually by 3% or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is greater.
Additionally, the Board of Commissioners will review water overage charges annually and change the rate by other than the set increase as needed, according to the ordinance.
The previous ordinance stated that beginning July 1, 2023, water rates in town would increase 36% annually, and continue to increase that rate each year for five years, according to town records. Starting July 1, 2028, rates would increase 3% annually.
For instance, the maximum charge for 3/4-inch meter for the first 6,000 gallons used was $64.74 in FY25. That was supposed to increase to $88.04 under the previous ordinance, but will instead be $74.45 under the new policy.
The increase came as a result of the town operating its water system at a deficit since at least 2015, according to town records.
Commissioner Amy Boehman-Pollitt said at a meeting in April that the continual increases could drive businesses out of town, deter new businesses from entering and burden residents already facing increasing financial hardships.
'I don't think it's ethical to put that on the backs of our residents,' Boehman-Pollitt said of continuing the increase.
Commissioner Valerie Turnquist said at the April meeting that water-rate increases impact families with different needs in different ways, 'because, as we know, it was only 36% if you used less than 6,000 gallons.'
The ordinance passed 4-1, with Commissioners Turnquist, Boehman-Pollitt, Jim Hoover and Kevin Hagan voting in favor.
Commissioner Cliff Sweeney voted against the ordinance. He said in an interview Tuesday that the measure would prolong the problems created by years of neglect.
Sweeney said the issues were 'partly my fault' for all of the years he voted against raising water rates over fears of burdening residents with the cost.
He said that had the commission raised rates slowly over many years, 'we'd have been where we needed to be.'
Mayor Frank Davis said in an interview that the lesser increases would 'bring some challenges' and prevent the town from getting the water fund out of the red by the end of FY26.
Davis said he people in the community he spoke with were sympathetic to the reasons why the town needed to continue the 36% increases to the water rates in order to get out from the hole of years of neglect.
'Nobody wanted the 36%, but they understood,' he said.
He added that the new lower-than-expected rate will prevent the town from replacing water lines along West Main Street and might lead to the need to dip into the general fund.
That would mean less money to fix roads and provide other services.
'I'm concerned,' Davis said. 'We're walking a tightrope in a windstorm.'
