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Council adopts sewer-rate language to address schools, churches and nonprofits' irrigation charges
Summary
The council approved a resolution (05-2025) clarifying sewer utility calculations for properties with combined water and irrigation lines — a change intended to limit large, unintended increases for institutions such as school districts and some nonprofits.
The Leavenworth City Council unanimously approved Resolution 05-2025 on March 11 to restore a differentiated sewer-rate calculation for schools, churches, certain nonprofits and the municipal pool where irrigation and domestic water are delivered without separate sewer meters.
Why it matters: An administrative change last year had removed a mechanism that treated some institutional uses differently, and city staff found that restoring a tailored calculation would prevent significant rate increases for institutions such as the school district. Staff told the council the change would avert an estimated tens of thousands of dollars in additional annual utility charges for the school district.
What the resolution does: The adopted resolution directs staff to apply a specific rate calculation (the staff memo referenced state law and municipal code) for schools, churches and nonprofits that lack separate irrigation meters and for the municipal pool using a slightly different calculation. City staff said the change mirrors historical practice and that legal review had found a defensible basis under state rule for a limited exception and code change to follow.
Council action: A motion to approve the resolution was made and seconded and the resolution passed unanimously. Staff were directed to work with the city attorney to refine code language and bring back specific code edits and explanatory “whereas” language, so the change can be embedded cleanly in municipal code rather than remaining only in a resolution. City staff said they will return with redlined code language.
Context and next steps: City staff warned that doing nothing would leave the school district with a significant utility bill increase that could require cuts in other services. The council approved the resolution and asked staff and the city attorney to prepare code amendments and an implementation plan for future meetings.
Votes at a glance: Resolution 05-2025 — Adopted unanimously. No abstentions.
Staff contact: City Finance Director and Public Works staff will return with code amendments and updated billing procedures for affected accounts.
