College Place council adopts strategic plan, approves several contracts and expands utility discount program

The College Place City Council on Jan. 14 approved a package of policy and contracting items, including adoption of a 2025–2035 strategic plan, acceptance of a Washington State Department of Health grant to study irrigation-district consolidation, authorization of an architectural contract for a replacement Lions Park Community Center, renewal of a contract with the Blue Mountain Humane Society for 2025, a one-year trial contract with the Blue Mountain Action Council (BMAC) to screen utility discount applicants, and an ordinance broadening the city’s utility discount program to 150% of federal poverty guidelines.

The council adopted ordinance 25-1 to replace the city’s previous strategic plan with a shorter, revised 2025–2035 strategic plan that organizes goals under four pillars: connected community, resilient community, safe community and affordable community. Council members praised the months of workshops and public participation that produced the document. The motion to adopt passed unanimously.

Council then approved a resolution to accept Washington State Department of Health contract GVL30999-0, a consolidation feasibility study award intended to pay for an engineering/consultant study of irrigation-district consolidation that affects areas including the Villages of Garrison Creek and Irrigation District 14. Staff said the state award covers the feasibility study and that the city will issue a request for consultant qualifications; the amount cited in council discussion was $20,000 based on two engineering quotes and will be used to produce a memorandum and feasibility analysis.

The council next authorized a city administrator agreement with Design West Architects to produce full architectural plans and bidding documents for a replacement Lions Park Community Center building. Staff said county 0.09 funds were placed first in the project budget to avoid triggering more onerous federal requirements in later construction phases and that the state’s brownfield assessment for the site arrived last week and will be reviewed.

On services contracts, the council approved a one-year 2025 contract with Blue Mountain Humane Society to continue shelter services for police and code enforcement and said staff and the humane society reached a compromise on costs that reflects inflation and operational needs. The council also agreed to a one-year trial contract with Blue Mountain Action Council (BMAC) to continue screening utility-discount applicants on the city’s behalf; staff said BMAC requested an increase to $500 per month and the city asked for a one-year trial to produce data on applications and usage.

The council also approved an ordinance updating the city’s utility discount program: staff proposed raising the income threshold from 125% to 150% of the federal poverty guidelines and removing the age/disability limitation so any household meeting the poverty guideline can qualify. Staff said the program currently serves 15 households and cost about $5,000 last year; council members asked that the city proactively notify residents eligible for the revised program through billing notices, social media and counter staff.

Consent agenda items approved earlier in the meeting included minutes and a set of commission appointments and reappointments: the council confirmed Kelly Lean to EdTech/EdEC (title in packet listed variably), Terry Amant to Historic Preservation, Monica Boyle, Steve Owens and Groover Snell to Altech/Altec (packet spelling varied), Leif Bissle and Jordan Green to the PAR board, John Crest to Utech, Michael Leasure to the Lodging Tax Advisory Commission, and Victor Valerio and Brandon Stepper to the Planning Commission. The consent agenda also included calendar adjustments for 2025 council and workshop dates.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance 25-1 (adopt FY2025–2035 strategic plan): motion passed, unanimous. - Contract amendment (Post Office crosswalk engineering, JUB Engineers): authorized increase $30,400 to $69,030 (see separate item for details). - Resolution accepting DOH contract GVL30999-0 (irrigation consolidation feasibility study): motion passed, unanimous; study funding cited as $20,000. - Resolution 25-2 (agreement with Design West Architects for Lions Park Community Center architectural design): motion passed, unanimous. - 2025 contract with Blue Mountain Humane Society (shelter services): authorized for one year; motion passed, unanimous. - BMAC utility-discount screening contract (one-year trial): authorized; council asked for data collection during trial; motion passed, unanimous; BMAC cited $500/month rate in discussion. - Ordinance (utility discount program update; referenced as 25-202 in the meeting): increase eligibility to 150% of federal poverty guideline and remove age/disability-only restriction; motion passed, unanimous. - Consent agenda (minutes, schedule changes and multiple commission appointments): approved.

What council members asked staff to do next

Council asked staff to prioritize outreach to residents about the expanded utility-discount program, to report back with BMAC usage data after the one-year trial, to proceed with consultant selection for the irrigation-district consolidation feasibility study and to continue coordinating funding and federal/state requirements on the Lions Park design effort.

The council did not take executive session and concluded the meeting at about 8:31 p.m.