Council authorizes water rate study by Raptellus at up to $33,700

Lock Haven’s city council voted to hire Raptellus to perform a water rate study, approving a proposal capped at $33,700 to be paid from the city’s water fund operating budget. The motion passed on a roll call after council discussion about the study’s scope and alternatives to a PUC filing.

Unidentified Speaker 2, who presented the proposal to the council, said the study would account for current and projected operating costs and would factor in “more than the $27,000,000 in capital improvements required” by the city's engineering/design plan. The speaker told the council that the study would provide the evidence needed should the city choose to approach the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to increase rates.

Council members discussed an alternative path: forming a joint municipal authority with Wayne and Castaneda townships that could own the water system and set user rates without a PUC proceeding. Unidentified Speaker 2 said the city’s contacts indicated a PUC filing process can cost about $300,000, and staff recommended the targeted consultant work now to guide either path.

Unidentified Speaker 5 moved to engage Raptellus for the study and Unidentified Speaker 6 seconded. The council then voted; the roll call in the transcript recorded affirmative votes and the motion carried (outcome: approved). The study’s cost was stated as $33,700 and would be charged to the water fund operating budget.

The council’s next procedural step, as discussed by staff, is to finalize the consultant engagement and define the study timeline and deliverables; the transcript does not specify an estimated completion date.

Notes on sourcing: the presentation, motion text and the $33,700 figure come directly from the council meeting transcript where Unidentified Speaker 2 described the study and related fiscal context.