The Edmond City Council Workshop on April 14, 2025, focused on the fiscal year 2026 utility budgets and a critical rate study for the solid waste utility. The meeting highlighted significant financial challenges faced by the solid waste department, which is projected to operate at a $19,000 deficit for the upcoming fiscal year.

City officials reported that the solid waste utility had previously encountered severe financial difficulties, with a projected $4 million deficit over a five-year period. However, strategic changes implemented in past years, including a slight increase in residential rates and operational optimizations, had turned deficits into surpluses, resulting in an $11 million reserve fund. Despite these improvements, recent inflation and supply chain issues, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to rising costs for equipment and materials, prompting the need for a new rate study.

Assistant Director of Public Works, Bobby Masterson, detailed the current financial situation, noting that costs for trash trucks have surged by nearly 38% in three years, and the utility is facing increased expenses for recycling and hazardous waste contracts. He emphasized that without adjustments to the base rates, the utility risks returning to a deficit situation.

To address these challenges, the city has engaged Raptalus Financial Consultants to conduct a comprehensive rate study. Consultant Terry Bovary presented an overview of the study's scope and objectives, indicating that it would include operational assessments and benchmarking against other utilities.

The council's discussions underscored the importance of proactive financial management in maintaining the sustainability of the solid waste utility, with further presentations and recommendations expected in the coming months. The outcome of the rate study will be crucial in determining future rate adjustments necessary to ensure the utility's financial health.