Public forum: pet wash proposal discussed and resident raises high electric bill concerns

During the public‑comment portion of the April 7 meeting, Tammy Nelson Burris proposed placing a pay‑to‑use pet washing station adjacent to Highland’s dog park. City Manager Chris Conrad said the city would pursue a lease arrangement for private vendors on park property and City Attorney McGinley would draft a lease; no formal vote was taken and staff said they would return to council with a lease for consideration.

Burris described the unit as an enclosed, self‑service station that accepts credit cards or mobile apps and said she has applied for LLC status. Mayor Hemann and council members expressed no objection to continuing the proposal to a future agenda item for a formal lease and approval.

Also in public comment, resident Yvonne Kaeser asked why Highland’s electric billing does not include a budget‑billing option after receiving bills of $300 and $373 in a two‑month span. City Manager Conrad replied the city does not currently have billing software that supports budget billing and that the city is midstream in a multi‑year platform migration planned to produce more robust billing functionality; the software upgrade is in year three of a five‑year project. Director Dan Cook suggested staff could inspect the building’s meter or usage patterns if a resident suspects an error.

The council approved several unrelated special‑event permits during public forum (Painted Pianos and a Grill and Chill spring bash) and otherwise directed staff to prepare lease language and follow‑up materials for the pet‑wash proposal.