Rome has about 10,000 water service lines, and after 18 months of letters, door hangers, and news coverage, about 200 residents had reported what their pipe is made of. So in May 2026 the city approved $1 million in bonds just to find the lead lines, before a single one gets replaced. That's the smallest bill in this episode. City debt grew from $77.7 million in 2021 to $113.7 million in 2025, a fire truck quoted at $650,000 is now carried at $1.25 million, $21.7 million in dam work is already approved, and the sewer upgrades tied to Chobani still don't have an official price. Unlike salaries or equipment, debt payments can't be delayed, trimmed, or negotiated. They come due on a date somebody already wrote down. With the 2027 budget now out, the question this series has been building toward is simple. Rome is facing serious financial challenges in the upcoming years. What did the mayor decide to do about it?