Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Government Votes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lake Oswego council approves consent agenda, creates municipal grants subcommittee
Summary
The Lake Oswego City Council adopted its consent agenda and approved formation of a municipal grants subcommittee during the April 15 meeting, recording unanimous 6-0 votes on routine resolutions including an adjustment to wholesale water rates despite public comment from a Lake Grove Water District commissioner who warned of higher local rates for his customers.
The Lake Oswego City Council adopted its consent agenda and other routine business items during its April 15 meeting, approving several resolutions and minutes by a single vote.
The consent agenda included a resolution updating wholesale water rates for wholesale customers (listed as Resolution 25-03 in the agenda materials), a resolution updating city financial policies (Resolution 25-17), and a resolution adjusting the city’s biennial budget (referenced in the meeting as Resolution 20519). The council approved the consent agenda by voice vote, recorded as 6-0 in favor.
Why it matters: The wholesale water rate resolution drew public comment from a nearby utility that says the city's proposed method could materially affect its customers. The municipal grants subcommittee resolution (25-07), approved separately later in the meeting, creates a standing subcommittee of the budget committee to review the city’s grant programs and develop structure recommendations for council consideration.
Background and public comment Madison Diesing, the city’s deputy city manager, explained that the municipal grants subcommittee was recommended by the budget committee and would initially meet without the authority to allocate funds; it will return to council with a recommended structure for how municipal grants will be administered. The council approved that resolution 6-0.
During public comment preceding the consent vote, Larry Kitchen identified himself as a commissioner of the Lake Grove Water District and spoke on his own behalf. He told council that Lake Grove plans to shift an increasing share of its wholesale purchases from Portland to Lake Oswego and that the staff proposal the council was considering contained errors that understate Lake Oswego’s future rates compared with Portland. Kitchen said the district estimates that adopting the alternative methodology in the staff presentation could require an immediate 25% rate increase for Lake Grove customers to cover the higher supplier cost. He urged council not to adopt Resolution 25-03, asking staff and the district to continue negotiating the terms.
Council action and votes at a glance - Adoption of the consent agenda (which included Resolution 25-03, Resolution 25-17, and the budget adjustment resolution): Motion made by Councilor Brouppen, seconded by Councilor Corrigan; vote 6-0 to adopt the consent agenda. - Resolution 25-07 (authorize the budget committee to form a municipal grants subcommittee): Motion to adopt made by Councilor Verdict and seconded by Councilor Boot; vote 6-0 to adopt.
What the council recorded The meeting minutes show the items were adopted as presented; council did not separate the consent items for individual discussion or votes. Staff signaled it will continue to meet with affected wholesale customers (including the Lake Grove Water District) on rate methodology and contract terms.
Next steps Staff will proceed with administrative implementation of the adopted resolutions. The Lake Grove Water District representative asked the council to defer adoption of the wholesale rate methodology until the district had time to review a staff proposal; the consent vote indicates the council chose to adopt the staff package on April 15. Any additional contract or rate negotiations with wholesale customers will occur through city staff and separate intergovernmental agreements as required.
