Mayor vetoes lead‑lines ordinance, asks council to refer it to Public Works

Mayor Payne announced during his report that he had vetoed an ordinance concerning lead water service lines and asked the council to sustain the veto and refer the item to the Public Works Committee for further work. He said the amendments adopted at the prior meeting were incomplete and that he has outstanding questions about the ordinance’s potential impact on homeowners outside current work areas.

"I have... vetoed the ordinance for, the, lead lines mandate," the mayor said, adding that he intends to support the ordinance after additional review and expects to sign it within a month or two once the committee addresses clarifications. He said his concerns included how costs and replacements would be allocated to homeowners and whether residents outside ongoing work areas could face unexpected assessments.

Councilors asked for specific examples of the mayor’s questions; the mayor said many could be handled behind the scenes but that he preferred a committee review to avoid publish‑and‑republish costs and unintended legal consequences. On the cost of publishing and republishing an ordinance, staff explained the city is required to publish ordinances and that a lengthy ordinance could cost about $350 to publish; the mayor cited that cost as one reason to avoid multiple re‑publications.

The council voted to sustain the veto and refer the ordinance to the Public Works Committee for further review (motion to refer carried). The mayor and council discussed timing: the mayor said he expects to have the ordinance back to the council within a month or two and that holding it up would not affect a separate valuation/feasibility study tied to utility valuation.

The mayor said legal review would be sought if committee members recommend substantial changes. He emphasized he supports the ordinance in principle but wants the language and implementation clarified so it does not leave property owners with unexpected costs.

Next steps: the ordinance will go to the Public Works Committee for review; council members and staff indicated they will seek legal review if major changes are proposed before returning it to the full council.