WILBRAHAM — The Wilbraham Board of Selectmen approved an increase in sewer rates after a public hearing on the matter March 27.

DPW Director Tonya Capparello proposed a 50-cent increase in the residential rate to $4.60 per cubic foot and a 50-cent increase in the commercial rate to $5.50 per cubic foot. This represents the first rate increase since 2008.

Capparello said, “The changing economy has increased prices of everything.” She also noted there are several economic pressures on sewer rates. There is a looming hike in prices from the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, from which Wilbraham buys its water and pays for its sewer treatment. The town also bought additional capacity to ensure future water and sewer users could be brought into the system.

There are also fewer resident payments on the town’s sewer betterments. The town received a loan from the State Revolving Fund for a project that ran sewer lines to homes along Main Street. Both the town and individual homeowners were required to pay back their portion of the loan. Capparello said that the town will finish paying off its portion in 2024, but resident payments are declining as home sales have allowed homeowners to pay off their loans before expected. The 30-year loan was designed to end in 2035.

Another issue is with sump pumps being improperly connected to sewer lines. The town must pay to have all water in the sewer system treated, whether it comes from inside a building or from stormwater. While the town conducts tests to identify violations, Capparello said some residents buy homes without realizing their equipment is improperly hooked up, while others fix the problem while the town is at the property and hook it up again later. Some residents have nowhere else to run the stormwater and feel tying the sump pump into the sewer line to avoid a flooded basement is the “lesser of two evils.”

Resident Gordon Allen asked if residents are charged sewer fees for water that is used outdoors in the spring and summer, such as for watering gardens. Capparello explained that Wilbraham works on a system that caps residential sewer usage at 12,000 cubic feet, meaning that at the existing rate, no resident paid more than $492 per year. While residents can have a second meter installed to measure outdoor water usage, Capparello said people often pay less using the cap, because the homeowner must pay for the meter, its installation and a fee for biennial readings.

For the past eight years, Capparello said, the town’s Wastewater Revolving Fund has been absorbing the cost of repairs and upgrades, but that situation is untenable in the long term. The town needs to raise rates, Capparello said.

Capital planning

The board also approved the capital planning budget for fiscal year 2024. Town Administrator Nick Breault reported that the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District presented a list of capital needs to the town. The Capital Planning Committee recommended two projects from the list, both at Mile Tree Elementary School and totaling about $100,000. Wilbraham’s portion of capital expenses for Minnechaug Regional High School, which amounts to $343,000, will be considered by voters as a separate article on the spring Town Meeting warrant. Town departments requested about $600,000 in capital projects, including sidewalks, guardrails and a repair to the flat roof at the Wilbraham Public Library.

After tackling the recommended projects, Breault said the town is still about $344,000 under the levy limit, in addition to $1 million in unused taxable capacity.

Warrant articles

Breault noted there is a citizen petition article on the warrant that would change the name of the Board of Selectmen to the Select Board. The article received the appropriate number of verified signatures and therefore will appear on the ballot as written. However, Breault explained that he believes the language is incorrect, making the article out of order. As the selectmen are in favor of the change, Breault suggested the town counsel draft an article seeking the same change with correct language. An explanation included with the article would clarify for voters why two articles with the same purpose appear on the ballot. The board approved the idea and closed the warrant with as many as 49 articles included. Although changes can be made to the warrant, no new articles can be added.