After careful deliberation at the June 17th special meeting, the Boyd Village Board voted to approve the Public Service Commission’s simplified rate case application for the village water utility, …
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After careful deliberation at the June 17th special meeting, the Boyd Village Board voted to approve the Public Service Commission’s simplified rate case application for the village water utility, which includes a 3% rate increase factor.
Village Clerk Sandi Issacs explained that the average water usage for residents in the Village of Boyd is between 2,500 and 3,000 gallons. She added that the Public Service Commission will determine exactly how the increase is allocated among customers. If approved by the commission, the rate increase would not take effect until October 2026.
The proposed increase follows several previous adjustments to water rates. Rates were previously raised in 2015, 2016, 2018, and most recently last year when customers saw a 4.1% increase.
Board members acknowledged that approving a rate increase was not an easy decision. Village President Bob Geist emphasized the challenges local officials face when balancing the financial needs of the utility with the impact on residents.
“It’s a difficult decision but everybody lives in town, nobody wants to do it,” Geist said.
Issacs echoed those sentiments, stating, “We don’t want to do it, we’re doing it to ourselves.”
Geist noted that the village’s water and sewer utilities must remain financially sustainable. He explained that if a privately owned business went a decade without increasing rates, it would likely face financial difficulties.
He also pointed to ongoing infrastructure needs within the village’s utility systems. Geist said the sewer plant is aging and recently required the replacement of an expensive pump. Looking ahead, he noted that the village will eventually need to replace its water tower as well.
Despite the increase, Geist said village officials have worked to keep costs manageable for residents, adding, “At least our raises aren’t 100% or higher.”
The rate case application will now move forward through the Public Service Commission review process, which will determine the final rate structure and implementation details before any changes take effect.
