Fort Wayne City Councilman Russell Jehl’s statement regarding proposed Fort Wayne City Utility rate hikes.
News release from Fort Wayne City Councilman Russ Jehl (R-2nd):
Councilman Russell Jehl’s statement regarding proposed Fort Wayne City Utility rate hikes
Fort Wayne, Indiana (August 11, 2025) – Tomorrow evening the Fort Wayne City Council will contemplate three separate rate increases and two revenue bond issues requested by City Utilities. If approved by City Council, this will raise water, sewer, and stormwater rates across the entire City Utility service area over a 3–5-year period. I will not support these increases.
I have lost faith in the leadership of City Utilities and believe it has lost sight of its mission to serve its Fort Wayne ratepayers who act as City Utilities’ shareholders. The very first thing I did at the beginning of the new term was systematically express my concerns to executive leadership and firmly request that they be addressed. When executive leadership proposed the rate increases earlier this year, I reminded them that time was running out to convince me to even contemplate rate increases.
A change in leadership and rededication to its mission should include:
- Improved customer service to its Fort Wayne ratepayer
- Improved communication and responsiveness to its board of directors, Fort Wayne City Council
- Properly reimbursing the Civil City Budget for operating expenses it incurs
- Addressing expensive development costs within the City
- Coherent policy for assisting County growth that does not burden the City ratepayers
- Fixing and cleaning up its project messes, such as timely and quality remediation
To date, there is no remedy or path for correction of these issues.
Operating as a regional monopoly rather than a city utility, I believe City Utilities’ leadership has lost sight of its mission. With a lack of confidence in their leadership, and without a clear path to take care of the City ratepayer, I cannot move forward on the requests before City Council.
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