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Council adopts fee resolution including ambulance utility increase amid RCW procedure questions
Summary
Council adopted resolution 25-062 updating administrative fees, including a 3% ambulance fee increase and raising utility tax rates to 13% for water/wastewater and establishment of a stormwater utility; a resident raised concerns about whether RCW procedural steps and public hearing requirements had been met.
The College Place City Council on Dec. 9 adopted resolution 25-062 updating administrative fees in the municipal code, including a 3% increase to ambulance fees and a change to utility tax rates (water and wastewater utility taxes increased from 10% to 13%, and a 13% stormwater utility tax was established).
During discussion, resident and attorney Scott Mahalek asked the council to consider whether the process complied with state law (citing RCW 35.21.766 and potential public-hearing requirements). Mahalek said he was concerned the fee change might require additional procedural steps; he offered to have staff look into the matter and urged caution before finalizing any changes. Council and staff responded that the ambulance utility was previously implemented and that the current action is setting the fee resolution to reflect the intended numbers. Staff committed to provide an informational report on the issue at the first meeting in January.
Council member Williams moved adoption of the resolution; the motion passed by voice vote.
Why it matters: the fee changes affect residents' bills (ambulance fees and utility taxes) and could require procedural compliance under state code if the funding mechanism or structure of the ambulance utility were changed. Staff will provide an informational report in January to clarify implementation steps and any outstanding compliance matters.
