Mayor Woody Baird boasts of an “impeccable record to run on.” But in Alexander City, where a family using 5,000 gallons of water pays nearly $100 a month while their neighbors in Auburn pay just $36, the word impeccable begins to sound like a cruel joke.

The record is written in ordinances and on monthly bills. In September 2021, Ordinance 2021-18 doubled the base sewer charge from $10 to $20 and nearly doubled usage fees from $6.34 to $12.68 per 1,000 gallons. It also locked in automatic 7 percent increases every year through 2026, guaranteeing bills would rise no matter what. In January 2025, Ordinance 2025-04 amended Section 90-66 of the city code to adjust industrial rates, while still binding rate structures to operational and debt costs.

By August, Ordinance 2025-19 made the intent

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