New Fee To Come Out of Water Customers’ Pockets

by Kathy Savolt -

At the June 22, 2026 work session, the Board of Trustees (BOT) discussed a new fee that will be included in the water bills.  This new fee is expected to raise $500,000 per year for stormwater and flood mitigation projects.  Many of these projects are grant-funded and require a local match.

Still in draft form, the proposed new local law was not shared with the public.  Village Attorney Steven Pambianchi reported that the fee would be based on water consumption, but the amount had not yet been decided.

This draft law was reportedly based on similar laws in New Rochelle and Ithaca, and it apparently contained a long list of potential uses for the collected revenue.  Trustee Maria DeRose questioned many of the items on the list and referenced the past inappropriate use of the sewer fee to fund portions of many administrative salaries. (See article HERE)

Trustee Nora Lucas reminded the BOT and staff that future maintenance of the work done by the grant-funded projects will be required and those new expenses will need new revenue.

The BOT asked Pambianchi to tighten the language to avoid future abuse and they agreed to keep the item on the work session agenda for further discussion.