Sewer Enterprise Fund Budget

At a glance

What: Sewer Enterprise Fund budget projections and rate structure review.
Status: Staff to return with more information; discussion ongoing.
Issues: Revenue and expense usage, fee waivers' impact, need for consistent rate increases.

Discussion (October 14, 2026)

Aleesha Nunley Benjamin, Finance Director, presented Sewer Enterprise Fund budget projections.

Topics discussed:

Original purpose of the privilege fee (now replaced by different fee structure)
Expense and revenue usage
Need for consistent rate increases on a regular basis
Equipment expenses in operating budget
Water use reduction measures and gallonage processing at wastewater treatment facilities
Sewered areas user counts
Impact of significant fee waivers approved by the Board

Jill Vieth questioned expenses related to equipment and asked for more information on users in sewered areas.

Staff to return to a future Board meeting with requested additional information.

From the video (October 14, 2026)

2026-10-14 - Select Board: The Finance Director said rates, not collections, drive the shortfall; retained earnings fell to about $420,000 in FY26, with a $1.1 million reserve reversal expected to bring them to about $1.5 million. FY27 rates cover operations only. Members asked about about $1.3 million in fee waivers and $1.8 million in equipment spending.

Sources

Select Board meeting minutes, October 14, 2026: https://nantucketma.api.civicclerk.com/v1/Meetings/GetMeetingFileStream(fileId=37566,plaintext=false)

Log

2026-10-14 - Select Board

Sewer Enterprise Fund budget projections presented; Board requested more information on expenses, user counts, and fee waiver impacts; staff to return with details.

2026-10-27 - Finance Committee

The Finance Committee agenda included the October 14 Select Board sewer enterprise fund presentation. A Somerset Needs Area sewer extension information session is set for November 5 (2026-11-05 - Somerset Needs Area Sewer Extension Information Session).