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Wilsonville adopts sewer rate increases with low‑income assistance program, council votes 4–0
Summary
Council adopted Resolution 3229 (4–0) to implement sewer rate adjustments over five years and include a customer assistance program that discounts the sewer base fee for low‑income households; staff projected modest additional annual cost to cover the program and delayed a major treatment project to 2038.
The Wilsonville City Council voted unanimously on March 16 to adopt updated sewer utility rates and a low‑income assistance program, approving Resolution 3229 with Option 2 after a public hearing and staff report.
City Engineer Zach Weigel and Finance Director Keith Katko presented the revised financial plan, which incorporated lower population growth projections from the city's 2025 housing study and pushed the MBR Phase 1 treatment‑plant expansion out to 2038. Staff warned that delaying projects can raise nominal project costs because of inflation: the MBR Phase 1 cost estimate rose from about $87,800,000 to approximately $102,300,000 under the revised schedule.
Keith Katko described the proposed customer assistance program: “Households with incomes at or below 60% of the state medium income would receive a 50% discount, while those 30% below would receive a 70% discount applied only to the sewer base fee.” He said the city would partner with Wilsonville Community Sharing to process applications and that the modeled cost of the assistance program would raise annual rate increases by about 0.5 percentage points (staff tested 1%, 5%, and 10% qualification rates and used a conservative 10% participation assumption for modeling).
Under the adopted plan staff recommended implementing the first five years of a 10‑year rate schedule and then reassessing; after the implementation period the ordinance moves the utility to an annual inflation indexing mechanism unless the council directs a different course. Staff projected a single‑family customer bill of about $46 per month under current rates and just under $54 per month in the first year of adjustments; longer‑term projections depend on capital timing and inflation.
After public testimony clarifying that the assistance discount applies to the base fee and not the consumption charge, Councilor (Council president) moved adoption of Resolution 3229 selecting Option 2; the motion was seconded and passed 4–0. Council directed staff to return with billing implementation details and to reassess the program participation and impacts at the five‑year review point.
