Residents of the Village of Schoolcraft will soon be paying annual increases of nine percent for their quarterly water bills, following a vote by the village council at a special February 2 meeting prior to the regularly scheduled meeting.
The rate increase took effect March 1, 2026, and will be reflected on residents’ June water bills, according to Village Manager Cheri Lutz.
The vote to increase the rates came following a presentation by Andy Campbell, a CPA and registered municipal advisor with Bendzinski & Co., a company which provides financial advice to municipalities.
His presentation about the water system covered operating and maintenance expenses; a schedule of estimated capital improvements; and cash flow projected through 2031/32.
Campbell highlighted information from a water rate study showing how much money would be needed for capital improvements to the water system starting with the replacement of ten lines within the next year. The total cost for the replacements is projected to be $4.3 million.
His data showed that a typical homeowner now paying $146.74 quarterly will be paying $159.95 in 2026-2027 and by 2030-2031 will be paying $225.78 quarterly.
The annual 9 percent increase will be in effect for at least five years, Campbell said.
“It is viable to go forward with this $4.3 million water project if we extend the nine percent,” he said.
In addition to the rate increase, there are other possible sources of funding for the project such as state earmarks which some communities are getting, according to Campbell.
Future projects which might be needed in the 2030-2031 budget year include a new well siting and village-wide lead-service replacement which would cost about $4.8 million, Campbell noted in his data from the study.
The Council has looked into various options for funding the current water project. At its October 6, 2025, meeting, the Council approved going forward with a loan application through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development. The application process takes several months.
Before that, at the September, 2025, village council meeting, Paul Bristol, water and environmental loan specialist at Rural Development, explained funding available through the agency: a 40-year loan with a fixed interest rate which makes it more affordable for users, he said.
After the special meeting on February 2 was adjourned, the regular council meeting was called to order. The council approved a liquor license for Amy Clark for the restaurant she is planning to open at 201 N. Grand Street, the site of the former Schnauzer’s Restaurant, but with a new name. She hopes to have the restaurant open by July 1.
She updated the Council on the renovations she’s been doing on the building. The upstairs had to be reframed, she said. A new stairway has been installed and some structural issues have been fixed.
The next order of business was approving Bauckham, Thall, Seeber, Kaufman & Koches, PC, as the general counsel for the village. Joshua E. Thall of the legal firm explained services the firm provides including rates which start at $200 per hour.
“We will provide the level of service you guys need,” he said. “Some clients call every day, others once or twice a year.”
Village Trustee Kathy Mastenbrook, who is also secretary of the South Kalamazoo County Fire Authority Board, reported that the authority’s website is up and running at skcfa.com.
The Council moved into closed session to discuss two issues: attorney-client privileged information and the village manager’s compensation.
