Maple Plain approves utility rate increase

“It’s never easy to increase rates but it’s being good stewards and taking care of what we have and maintaining it and I think this is a responsible number to do this,” Mayor Julie Maas-Kusske said.

The 2023 rate increase calls for a 10 percent increase to fixed and volume prices of water; a five percent increase to fixed and volume prices of sewer; a five percent increase to stormwater fees; and no change to the water treatment plant fees.

This increase follows a 15 percent utility rate increase in 2022, which city administrator Clarissa Hadler said was the first increase in the rates since 2012.

The city commissioned a utility rate study in 2021 and that study was updated at the end of 2022. It found that another rate increase was necessary to put the utility funds in better financial condition in the long run and to cover debt payments for street reconstruction projects. I found that the lower increase was sufficient for the time being, due to the potential for multifamily development and the associated water access charges.

“We are really looking at significant shortfalls in cash in those utility funds if there was not significant increases made,” Hadler said. “We revisited the utility rates study with that increase and the expenses clarified some more and clarified some CIP funding and a couple difference scenarios were discussed in the workshops and the ordinance reflects that discussion.”

The utility rate study can be in the city council’s packet from the Feb. 13 work session on the city’s website at mapleplain.com.

In addition to the rate study increase, the council approved a 2023 Sealcoating Project to Allied Blacktop for $101,187.50. That was the lowest of three bids submitted to the city for the project.