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Highlands mayor tells Reno County majority of local poll favors spreading sewer bond payments across property tax rolls
Summary
Dr. Carol Moore, mayor of the City of The Highlands, told Reno County commissioners a local poll found 66% of respondents favor putting sewer bond and interest payments on all property tax statements rather than charging only sewer users.
Dr. Carol Moore, mayor of the City of The Highlands, told the Reno County Board of Commissioners during public comments that a resident poll shows a majority of city respondents favor putting wastewater bond and interest payments on the general property tax roll rather than charging only customers connected to the sewer district.
Moore said the poll was conducted with door-hanger ballots and stamped, addressed return envelopes; officials received 111 returns (a 62% return rate), of which five were unusable, leaving 106 ballots counted. Moore said 66% (70 respondents) selected option 1 — which would put the full bond and interest payment on property tax statements for all property owners in The Highlands. She said option 2 (the structure voters approved in 2018) received seven votes and option 3 (the structure adopted by Resolution 2023-17) received 27% of returns.
Moore said Resolution 2025-17 changed the bond and interest payment structure from what had been voted by citizens in 2018 and that the poll reflects the council's recommendation to revert to the option that spreads payments across property tax bills. She asked the county to "consider the wishes of the residents of the city of The Highlands with a new resolution in January 2026 that incorporates option number 1." Moore also noted the bond is scheduled to be paid off in 2038 at a stated interest rate of 3% (as described in the materials she provided).
County staff responded that all three options are feasible within the current utility district budget and that the commission could give staff guidance immediately but would have to make any final determination at the budget hearing. Commissioners and staff discussed covering the topic at an upcoming budget study session; no formal county action was taken at the meeting.
Ending: Commissioners asked staff to include the matter in budget discussions and brief the commission prior to the formal budget hearing. The mayor said her council recommends option 1 if the change is administratively possible.
