Casey City Council Approves Utility Fee Increases

Casey City Council Meeting | December 15, 2025

Article Summary: The City Council voted unanimously to update the city’s code of ordinances regarding utility disconnection and reconnection fees, doubling the standard rate to cover rising operational costs.

Utility Fee Key Points:

• New Rates: The reconnection fee is now $50 during standard business hours (7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) and $100 for all other times.

• Affected Services: The changes apply to gas, electric, water, and sewer utilities.

• Reasoning: City officials noted the previous rates had not been updated in approximately 10 years and no longer covered the cost of employee overtime or salaries.

The Casey City Council on Monday, December 15, 2025, approved three ordinances to increase the fees charged to residents for disconnecting and reconnecting utility services due to nonpayment.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve Ordinance #598 (Gas), Ordinance #599 (Electric), and Ordinance #600 (Water and Sewer). Under the new structure, the fee for reconnecting services during regular business hours—defined as Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.—is set at $50. If a reconnection is required outside of those hours, the fee increases to $100.

City Attorney Tracy Willenborg noted that the fee adjustments put Casey in line with surrounding municipalities. Mayor Mike Nichols and the Council discussed the necessity of the increase, noting that the previous rate, which was approximately $25, had been in place for roughly a decade.

“You’ve been nice for a long time,” Willenborg told the Council during the discussion. “Twenty-five dollars doesn’t necessarily pay all your salary.”

Mayor Nichols agreed, stating that the previous fees failed to cover overtime costs when employees were called in for reconnections. The new rates take effect immediately following the passage of the ordinances.