Early council directs staff to draft one-year water and sewer rate ordinance, keeps improvement fee

The Early City Council voted on July 7 to have staff prepare a one-year ordinance that would raise water rates by 35% and sewer rates by 30%, to take effect Sept. 1, 2026. Councilmember Cory Tiefenthaler moved to prepare the ordinance and Brandon Scaddon seconded; the council agreed to present the ordinance at the next meeting.

Council also approved retaining the water improvement fee on the utility bill for temporary shut-off addresses and properties that are vacant rentals. City Clerk Julia Drost said she will check with the new software vendor to confirm the billing system can accommodate the fee for those account types.

The ordinance is limited to a one-year period as described by the motion. No detailed revenue projections or specific customer impacts were provided at the meeting; the council framed the vote as direction to prepare draft ordinance language for formal consideration at a subsequent meeting.

Next steps: staff will draft the ordinance language and bring it back to the council for formal introduction and a vote.