Town Commissioners — 2025-04-11

On April 11, 2025 the Queenstown Commissioners held a work session with Town Engineer Bob Rauch to review water and sewer rates; present were President Al Hardee, Commissioners Tom Willis and Bryon Callahan, Town Manager Amy Moore, Town Clerk Aaron Horney, and Finance Chair Pat Bowell. Rauch presented spreadsheets showing 2024 baseline usage revenues (combined estimated annual water/sewer usage revenue $272,684.18) and detailed debt service obligations ($347,499.95) and scenarios with and without Wheatlands Phase 1 (50 EDUs). Without Wheatlands the town faces a $106,119.95 yearly debt-service deficit requiring a $19.78/month (44%) increase; with Wheatlands the deficit was $79,119.95 requiring a $13.27/month (29%) increase. FY2026 budget scenarios produced larger shortfalls: assuming no Wheatlands usage total W/S revenues $649,740.75 vs expenses $959,919.95 (deficit $310,179.19, needing $57.83/month/EDU (48%)); assuming Wheatlands usage total W/S revenues $703,164.75 vs expenses $959,919.95 (deficit $256,755.19, needing $47.87/month/EDU (Q7% as shown)). Rauch said he will run multi-year scenarios, incorporate Wheatlands payments toward the USDA loan, and compare the town’s billing-rate-to-household-income ratio to other towns; the session adjourned at 3:04 p.m. by a 3-0 vote.