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Council considers 27.4% sanitary sewer rate increase; procedural vote splits council
Summary
On first consideration, staff presented a proposed sanitary sewer rate increase (the agenda’s largest option of 27.4%); council discussed a six‑month implementation timeline and voted 4–1 on a procedural question about waiving additional readings, with staff to return with formal ordinance language.
City staff presented an ordinance on April 24 to amend Chapter 13.08 and implement a proposed sanitary sewer rate increase; the agenda had included three alternate rates and the council was presented the largest noticed alternative, a 27.4% increase.
Public-works director Tom Pingel told council that final reading would start a six-month countdown to the rate change. Council members asked for clarity on the specific ordinance option being noticed and whether the council should waive second and third readings at the meeting. One councilmember advocated not waiving additional readings so the public could review the alternatives; another argued that with no public comment present it might be efficient to proceed.
The council recorded a split procedural vote on waiving readings (4–1) on the matter of whether to waive second and third readings that night; the transcript records the procedural tally but does not show final adoption of the ordinance itself in the excerpt. Members asked staff to circulate full ordinance language, to confirm notice comparisons among the three alternatives, and to return for additional consideration if needed.
