[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6368310,"mediaKeyId","2157531-40346f1025ae5c9d8f95e39cd2707ccf","parentId",2157531,"title","Tumwater staff identify ~294 households potentially eligible for utility Lifeline; estimated $252,000 annual impact if all enroll","audioSeconds",521,"startMs",4027000,"endMs",4548000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2157531-40346f1025ae5c9d8f95e39cd2707ccf&start=4027&end=4548","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2157531-40346f1025ae5c9d8f95e39cd2707ccf/thumbnail_4027000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6368310/Tumwater/Thurston-County/Washington/Tumwater-staff-identify-294-households-potentially-eligible-for-utility-Lifeline-estimated-252000-annual-impact-if-all-enroll","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6368310-6cb74d4970f8a06d6967d9982af9a3fc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174513&Signature=hJKwDemqt9kI9395Blb~3ZEvlBMFV0kFuG~mZJa6zRyPQ0DcmDagEdN3iX8nS8gFf46DIEFv9jeiglsA-7pe8~8WOk0gxnWY8e3uLDo2ZxiowyF0so~h1vdFyxls1FM-t0htkZ8TtAZ~pXnTwuH1ZYoc7PoWcFkSPzwU4geZhzdNeagK0XevD3PPoYloDoFKdGly2d~MXm-3FgkNzDN2bjUlki8-i0QOmC5AtvUDNOxU2FdCkP76ghyAozcdydnBSxLcJNcGf7Gczhjizp75~7l~ItXypReEqhZvVfnmULxqIxpYfiPHd8mOsCh2-WOnywKmeCTKd8TJys5IEBgtEQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tumwater, WA - City Government","date","2025-01-27T16:29:34Z","article","At the Jan. 24, 2025 Budget & Finance Committee meeting, City of Tumwater staff reported that an internal review identified roughly 294 accounts that appear to meet the eligibility criteria for the city’s Lifeline utility program, which offers a 50 percent discount to qualifying customers.

Staff described the identification method as a match to Thurston County property-tax relief criteria and said those property-tax relief recipients are treated as automatically eligible for the Lifeline utility discount. Using an assumed average utility bill of $143, staff calculated the program’s budgetary impact if all identified accounts enrolled: a reduction in utility revenue of roughly $21,021 per month or about $252,000 annually.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about household types and billing arrangements. Staff said the list currently reflects accounts that pay property taxes and that it could include single-family homeowners, owners of small multi-unit properties, or landlords depending on how billing is arranged; staff noted they had not yet quantified how many renters who receive assistance may be excluded from that initial count.

Staff said the city plans outreach to make eligible customers aware of the Lifeline option. They cautioned that the program, if fully used by all identified accounts, would create an unplanned budgetary impact to water, sewer and stormwater funds and that budget amendments or other offsetting steps might be required.

The Lifeline program update was presented as part of a pair of interwoven items: staff said they are simultaneously pursuing a cost-of-service and affordability review (work being done in parallel) and that results from the larger study will inform any long-term changes to assistance programs.

No formal council action was taken at the committee meeting. Staff said they will continue outreach and refine eligibility and cost estimates; if enrollment grows as projected, staff indicated they may need to request budget adjustments in a future amendment.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Budget & Finance Committee January 24 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Staff told the Budget & Finance Committee that initial analysis found about 294 residents who appear to meet Thurston County property-tax relief criteria and therefore could be eligible for the city’s Lifeline utility rate (50% discount). If all enroll, staff estimated a revenue reduction of about $21,021 per month (roughly $252,000 per year).","taxTitle","Tumwater, Thurston County, Washington","taxId",70653,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6368316,"Tumwater staff weigh passing credit-card fees to customers after Tyler payments rollout",1852,2245000,4097000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2157531-40346f1025ae5c9d8f95e39cd2707ccf&start=2245&end=4097","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2157531-40346f1025ae5c9d8f95e39cd2707ccf/thumbnail_2245000.jpg","/articles/6368316/Tumwater/Thurston-County/Washington/Tumwater-staff-weigh-passing-credit-card-fees-to-customers-after-Tyler-payments-rollout","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6368316-3056d97b2b057ea6ffba09275a2c5cbf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174513&Signature=k~D-tHgoTwicfLvB0iPRDVs4bnMtXwnZ~cE9ocRrajPXmV3z9sfVs-Zv-TisTPKJPPbdcVGadFhJBs5qpg9cn9n25lNq8RZ0bznBRCLvVGm7nxMOqSElNPrWHvwMI3QhNOdsQ20HVKiuJ2t7nfTjWY0g6Jr-YzqaVCncd6u-sva1RwQQNn1zSErJr96b0WnexOdhcvdDtsVQheGuysY7iRILrekLiRTGAxvUVog8Wv1tNvamyc1aL8V0iWcFQVX3iV~mVb67SBFRKsvAJ4nTzwa5~853CF7S4J4o3frMJONBLwo4mlmshAO4En-1qUKFZdqpqr~c~OVSmcOd7mmt0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City of Tumwater staff briefed the Budget & Finance Committee on Jan. 24, 2025 about the likely cost and equity implications of switching to the Tyler Technologies payment platform and the possibility of passing credit-card fees on to customers.

Troy (city finance staff) told the committee the city currently absorbs credit-card merchant fees and that those costs amount to about $250,000 per year for utilities alone. He said the Tyler system would increase that cost by roughly $10,000 to $12,000 annually compared with current processing, and that the vendor’s business model combines card fees with an additional fee to Tyler for its integrated cashiering services.

Staff said the city now caps card payments for building permits at $1,500 to avoid large merchant fees on high-value permits. On the development/permit side, staff said contractors have asked to be allowed to pay by card for convenience and reward points; staff suggested passing fees for those transactions would likely be accepted by customers who value the convenience.

For utility billing, staff and committee members discussed equity considerations: the current practice of the city absorbing fees effectively spreads the cost among all ratepayers, including customers who do not use credit cards. Staff said lower-income customers who pay by cash, check or direct bank withdrawal would not incur card fees if the city passed them to payers.

Committee members and staff explored alternatives and implementation details discussed at the meeting:

- Autopay and direct bank-account payments (often free or a flat $1 e-check) were identified as lower-cost options; staff noted some customers already enroll in autopay using bank account information.
- The new Tyler platform offers multiple payment methods; some (e.g., e-check) carry lower fees (staff cited a $1 fee example) while credit-card transactions carry higher percentage fees (staff estimated 3–3.5 percent on typical cards).
- Staff described the choice as partly operational (how payments are processed) and partly policy (whether council should be briefed and approve a pass-through policy). Karen (city attorney) said the decision would be administrative but rises to the level of council consideration.

Several council members recommended incentives to encourage lower-cost payment methods (for example, a small bill credit for switching to bank-account payments). Privacy and consumer-protection concerns were raised over bank-account debit as an alternative to credit cards; staff said such options already exist for many customers and are in use through autopay.

No formal change was approved at the committee meeting. Staff committed to producing a breakdown of payment methods, fee levels, and implementation options along with a communications strategy and to brief the full council for additional direction.

A staff representative noted the city could apply different rules by payment category (for example, passing fees for community-development/permit payments while retaining existing practice for residential utility payments), and committee members requested specific cost comparisons for each payment type before any final decision.","City staff told the Budget & Finance Committee that implementing the Tyler Technologies payment platform would increase merchant fees slightly and invited discussion of passing those fees to users; no final decision was made and staff will prepare option breakdowns and messaging for council review.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6368321,"Tumwater committee briefs consultant on multi-year financial planning tool; contract executed under delegated authority",1638,677000,2315000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2157531-40346f1025ae5c9d8f95e39cd2707ccf&start=677&end=2315","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2157531-40346f1025ae5c9d8f95e39cd2707ccf/thumbnail_677000.jpg","/articles/6368321/Tumwater/Thurston-County/Washington/Tumwater-committee-briefs-consultant-on-multi-year-financial-planning-tool-contract-executed-under-delegated-authority","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6368321-ca9180a2b6986f020de050b02683878a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174513&Signature=gCclY5gHMa5U8iVzqMBMdd8Q9O73ojm6GO~6Ljnlb59LqyHtwK0ucuD7US2JHx5NBuALi3ZV-YhovlWT5fftT2z0B-it5pXcDmDou4OX9akPfSiFGKoFxXsqXaBXurQq58bGTzZPnCIgJ-Gx8Yu~T4R-PnKtZ20MzTAH-2vts8vRgB2oBiU7CzrwNgVt-qmJ-iOzER1SD98cFNdyjSQcycefgOI6xXDE1CYT5-~CqhIKUx0KlYYcMDXvSfsiizIsvXIZF4Xk0X5Kn7yiR0XqO7Xdoej4NBzsyfzN-TfQcvGNhlu~PSnDKslEG1Na8o3JX~odujCX6ZAWq9A8Z-paZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Tumwater Budget & Finance Committee on Jan. 24, 2025, heard an overview of a newly contracted financial planning project from consultant Morgan Shook of Eco Northwest and was told the agreement is in place under delegated signing authority and will begin with a kickoff meeting next week.

Committee members were introduced to the scope: staff and consultant will develop a non‑proprietary fiscal-modeling tool (Excel-based) that represents the city’s current finances, lets staff and council run “what if” scenarios, and is intended to be handed off to city finance staff for ongoing use. The work is timed so a preliminary budget assessment and model draft can inform a forthcoming community survey and mid-year council retreats.

Why it matters: The committee and staff framed the work as a technical foundation to align the city’s strategic-plan update, comprehensive-plan considerations and capital-facilities priorities with realistic revenue and cost scenarios. That alignment will inform council choices about service levels, potential revenue strategies and whether voter engagement is needed for new revenue measures.

Morgan Shook of Eco Northwest described the approach as scenario-driven and staff-supportive, saying the firm will build a tool to represent the city “and then allows us to ask a bunch of different what if questions.” The scope as presented includes a budget assessment, revenue forecasting, cost-of-service review, and a scenario-testing tool for multi-year planning.

Staff emphasized the tool will be Excel-based and not tied to proprietary software, and that Eco Northwest’s deliverable will be transferred to city staff for ongoing use. A project kickoff meeting was scheduled for the management team next Wednesday, and staff said they plan a full-council briefing early in the process so council feedback can shape the community survey and scenario priorities.

City staff described the consultant’s work as intended to support departmental engagement, refine capital and service assumptions, and provide council with prioritized options rather than single “silver-bullet” solutions. The consultant also noted experience with revenue forecasting and infrastructure funding for local governments and said the tool is commonly still used by jurisdictions after project completion.

No council vote on the contract was recorded at the meeting; staff said the agreement was executed within the mayor’s and city manager’s delegated signing authority and that they would present briefing materials to the full council at a later date.

Committee members asked about the project’s relationship to land-use and economic-development choices; Shook and staff said the model can represent development-driven revenue changes (for example, construction and sales-tax growth tied to new development) and can be used to test annexation, policy or zoning outcomes against cost impacts for services.

Staff said the model is intended to inform the city’s strategic priorities update and community survey, and will be used to show the fiscal implications of adding staff or capital investments over a 10‑year horizon. The committee requested that the timing of a council briefing be set before the community survey is released, so council feedback can be incorporated into survey questions.

The meeting moved on after the briefing; staff and the consultant will proceed with the kickoff and follow the outreach and briefing plan described to the committee.","The Budget & Finance Committee heard an introduction from Eco Northwest consultant Morgan Shook about a multi-year fiscal model and scenario tool intended to inform the city’s strategic-plan and community-survey work. Staff said the contract is within delegated signing authority and kickoff is scheduled next week.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Tumwater staff identify ~294 households potentially eligible for utility Lifeline; estimated $252,000 annual impact if all enroll

Tumwater staff weigh passing credit-card fees to customers after Tyler payments rollout

Tumwater committee briefs consultant on multi-year financial planning tool; contract executed under delegated authority