Douglas Water Commission Approves Plan to Raise Rates, Seek Retained Earnings Transfer

Water · Meeting of July 28, 2026

Douglas Water Commission identifies $263,117 FY27 budget gap, approves two-part fix. The commission, meeting July 28 with Chair Kyle Luce, members Phil Stinchfield and Colin Hare, and Systems Manager Bob Stolten, agreed to pursue a 10 percent water rate increase projected to generate $136,568 and seek a retained earnings transfer for the remaining balance at the November fall town meeting. The gross shortfall had stood at $487,575 before $87,889 in savings from a favorable Synagro biosolids contract and reduced insurance premiums were applied.

The board also confronted sobering projections on a planned sludge thickener, with Stolten warning that the all-in project cost is "more like two to four" million dollars — well above the roughly $455,000 equipment-only estimate received last week — and that DEP permitting alone could run up to two years. A follow-up budget working session was set for August 4 at 7 p.m.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 1,775 words

Source: the Water meeting of July 28, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.