Belmont Holds Hearing on New Stormwater Fee

Select Board Meeting_ PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION STORMWATER ENTERPRISE FUND · Meeting of October 15, 2026

Belmont previewed a new stormwater fee ahead of a Nov. 16 Special Town Meeting vote on creating a dedicated enterprise fund. Consultant Dave Heider of Stantec said the town needs about $1.5 million a year for stormwater work, currently funded through sewer fees, and presented two residential options: a flat $14.39 monthly charge or a tiered structure ranging from $8.92 to $24.89 a month based on impervious surface. A Select Board member said Belmont has the third-highest sewer rate in the MWRA system.

Town meeting member Jack Weiss challenged the methodology, saying "there's a flaw to that approach," while Roy Epstein, chair of the Board of Assessors, urged a flat rate, warning against "the trap of spurious precision." Staff estimated new administrative and DPW staffing costs at roughly $374,000. No fee structure was adopted; Article 6 only asks town meeting to establish the fund.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,254 words

Source: the Select Board Meeting_ PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION STORMWATER ENTERPRISE FUND meeting of October 15, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.