Salem City committee backs trash, water and sewer rate increases, corrects water minimum after typo

A Salem City Committee of the Whole meeting on June 11 recommended that the full council consider ordinances raising trash, water and sewer rates and adopted an amendment to correct a typographical error in the proposed water minimum rate.

The committee voted to send three ordinances to the full council with positive recommendations: order 258 (collection/trash fees), order 259 (water rates) and order 260 (sewer user charges). Councilor Hepworth moved each recommendation; the motions were seconded by colleagues (recorded in the transcript as Counselor Prosniewski/Presnallski/Presnusky in different places) and the chair repeatedly noted the committee carried each motion with "two hands plus my own."

The most contested technical detail involved order 259. Jay Carroll, the city engineer, told the committee the proposed residential water rate of $5.26 per 100 cubic feet and a nonresidential rate of $7.11 reflect a recommended 9% increase from the 2023 water and sewer rate study and its projections. Carroll said the minimum quarterly residential bill should be $52.54 — a $4.34 increase from the ordinance's current minimum of $48.20 — and that a $44.20 figure in the draft appeared to be a typographical error. "That increase comes from the study," Carroll said, and the $52.54 figure brings the minimum in line with the projection toward fiscal 2028.

On trash rates, Carroll explained the proposed increase follows Waste Management contract prices tied to the Consumer Price Index, which he said was roughly a 4% increase year-over-year. The ordinance for Chapter 36 would raise certain residential and commercial collection fees by specified dollar amounts (for example, a residential line rising from $25.79 to $26.83 and a commercial fee from $37.41 to $38.90 as read into the record).

For sewer charges, the committee reviewed proposed rates effective July 1, 2026 that would set a residential sewer charge at $8.70 per 100 cubic feet (from $8.28) and adjust non-residential tiers (for example, an up-to-25,000 cubic-foot tier shown moving to $13.17 from $12.55). A committee member also noted the transcript language that certain water and "SCSD" funds would be excluded from private development projects; the committee did not expand on that point during the meeting.

During public comment, Josiah Guthrie said he was not formally opposing the ordinances but urged the committee to consider affordability, noting that "the city budget is not increasing at similar rates, and I know my personal wages are not increasing at similar rates." The committee adjourned after a motion by Councilor Hepworth.

The ordinances will next appear on the full council agenda, where members will have an opportunity to debate, amend further or vote on final adoption.