Cascade council approves bond authorization, business incentive and utility ordinances

At its Nov. 24 meeting, the Cascade City Council approved a series of financial and administrative items: a resolution authorizing use of a preliminary official statement for the sale of general obligation corporate purpose bonds (Resolution No. 109-25), a business-incentive disbursement for Cascade Lumber Company, adoption of a third-reading ordinance adjusting refuse collection rates, and first readings on water and sewer rate ordinances.

Resolution No. 109-25. City staff described the bond step as a routine part of the borrowing process to fund general obligation corporate-purpose projects. Council Member Gail moved to approve the resolution; Council Member Oliphant seconded the motion and a roll-call recorded the vote in favor as shown in the transcript (ayes recorded). The transcript identifies the item as standard procedure.

Cascade Lumber Company incentive. The council approved a resolution authorizing an annual disbursement using property tax increment financing for Cascade Lumber Company for fiscal year 2026. The motion passed on a roll-call vote as recorded in the meeting.

Street and annual financial reports. Staff presented an updated Fiscal Year 2025 street financial report and provided a summary of beginning and ending balances. During discussion the council cited a beginning balance of about $235,000 and referenced an ending road-use balance in the roughly $419,000—6,000 range (speakers used an example ending balance of $426,000 and alternately referenced $419,000 in the road-use fund while walking through pages of the report). The council approved the street report (Resolution No. 108-25) by motion and roll call, and also approved and submitted the Fiscal Year 2025 annual financial report.

Ordinances and utility rates. The council completed the third and final reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 4-25 (amending refuse-collection rates under Title VI, Chapter V of the Code). Staff noted a separate administrator report would address questions about fall-cleanup charges. The council also held the first of three readings for Ordinance No. 5-25 (water rates) and Ordinance No. 6-25 (sewer rates and manner of payment); both were advanced to subsequent readings after motion and roll call.

Operational notes. Staff reported that an erroneous Republic Services invoice initially totaled about $5,009.56; the city expects a credit and said appliance charges were corrected to $15 (reduced from $80 on the invoice). City staff also updated the council on a software conversion, completion of yard-waste grinding at the site, hydrant flushing progress, and a December 1 start date for winter parking restrictions. The next council meeting in December is scheduled for Dec. 15, 2025.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in the meeting transcript): - Resolution No. 109-25 (bond preliminary official statement): motion by Gail, second by Oliphant; roll call recorded ayes; outcome approved. - Cascade Lumber Company incentive resolution: motion by Gail; roll call recorded ayes; outcome approved. - Resolution No. 108-25 (street financial report): motion and roll call recorded ayes; outcome approved. - Annual financial report for FY2025: motion and roll call recorded ayes; outcome approved. - Ordinance No. 4-25 (refuse collection rates): third and final reading; motion by Gail; roll call recorded ayes; ordinance adopted. - Ordinance No. 5-25 (water rates): first reading; motion passed to advance to the next reading. - Ordinance No. 6-25 (sewer rates): first reading; motion passed to advance to the next reading.

The transcript does not record substantive changes to the drafts during the meeting. Council members asked for clarifications on balances and for staff to provide summary detail so members can track where funds remain available for projects.