College Place council approves committee consolidations, salary update, code and meeting-time changes
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Summary
At its Feb. 24 meeting, the College Place City Council approved ordinances to dissolve two advisory boards into the Planning Commission, adopted a salary ordinance adding a police COLA and a Project Manager 2 position, updated the business-license threshold, accepted a $150,000 climate planning grant, and moved regular meetings to 6 p.m.
The College Place City Council on Feb. 24 approved a package of governance and administrative changes, including repeal of two advisory boards, a personnel update, and several code and scheduling amendments.
Council voted to repeal Chapter 2.68 (Utilities Transportation Advisory Board, also called UTEC) and Chapter 2.62 (Parks, Arbor and Recreation Board). City Administrator Robert Rayburn told council the changes are intended to reduce redundant evening meetings and allow technical advisory or subcommittees to perform detailed work before the Planning Commission or council. Council members voiced support for reducing staff burden while urging intentional outreach to preserve public engagement for parks and recreation issues.
The council also approved amendments to Salary Ordinance 26‑064 that add a cost-of-living adjustment for the police bargaining unit and create a Project Manager 2 position to support economic development. Finance Director Brian Carlton said the position will be a shared expense allocated across utility funds, which have sufficient fund balance to absorb the cost.
On code updates, the council adopted Ordinance 26‑005 to align College Place with the state model business-license threshold (RCW 35.90.0080), raising the out‑of‑city business threshold from $2,000 to $4,000 and incorporating automatic future adjustments. City attorneys told council they do not expect a practical local impact because there are currently no affected out‑of‑city businesses.
Council accepted Resolution 26‑005 authorizing acceptance of a Department of Commerce climate planning grant for $150,000 to support the Growth Management Act's new climate and resiliency goal; staff said a community advisory TAG will work with consultants and present recommendations to the Planning Commission.
The council also approved Ordinance 26‑003 to move regular council meetings to 6:00 p.m.; staff will advertise the change on the city website, utility newsletter and legal notices.
Votes at a glance (motions were carried by council voice vote unless noted): - Ordinance 26‑006 (repeal UTEC): approved (motion and voice vote). Provenance: presentation (Rayburn) then motion (SEG 969–SEG 983). - Ordinance 26‑037 (repeal PAR board): approved (motion and voice vote). Provenance: discussion (SEG 987–SEG 1015). - 2026 Commission assignments: approved as amended (motion by Council Member Williams; second by Council Member Cleveland; voice vote). Provenance: SEG 1594–SEG 1607. - Ordinance 26‑064 (salary ordinance update: police COLA; Project Manager 2): approved (motion and voice vote). Provenance: SEG 1612–SEG 1687. - Resolution 26‑005 (accept climate planning grant, $150,000): approved (motion and voice vote). Provenance: SEG 1691–SEG 1790. - Ordinance 26‑005 (business-license threshold update): approved (motion by Council Member Green; second by Council Member Boyle; voice vote). Provenance: SEG 1798–SEG 1908. - Ordinance 26‑003 (change council meeting start time to 6:00 p.m.): approved (motion and voice vote). Provenance: SEG 1911–SEG 2056.
No roll-call tallies were provided in the public record for these motions; outcomes were announced by voice as "the ayes have it." Next procedural steps are implementation of the ordinance/code changes and administrative actions such as publication and scheduling changes.