Beaver City Council adopts FY2027 budget, approves pay and sewer ordinances

Beaver City Council voted on June 16 to adopt the FY2027 budget and approved a suite of related ordinances and resolutions that staff said are aimed at stabilizing operations and modernizing services.

The council adopted the FY2027 budget following a public hearing and line-item review. City staff highlighted a priority water project — replacement of a repeatedly failing 12-inch water line along North Creek Road, which the city estimates will cost in the neighborhood of $300,000. After questions about specific starting balances and a few minor corrections, Councilmember Albrecht moved to approve the budget and Councilmember Cox seconded; the motion carried on a roll call vote recorded in the meeting.

At the same meeting the council adopted Ordinance 6 16 20 26 a, the required public notice and hearing ordinance tied to adjustments for elected and statutory offices. Staff explained the recommended cost-of-living increase is 2.6% with an available merit pool of up to 2.2% for certain statutory positions, creating a combined potential increase of roughly 4.6% for eligible statutory staff. The city manager noted councilmembers are not automatically eligible for merit increases absent a separate vote. “The recommended cost of living increase is 2.6%,” the city manager said during the public hearing discussion.

The council also approved Ordinance 6 16 20 26 b, an amendment to the city sewer code that creates a monthly “standby” fee option for properties within 300 feet of a sewer main. Under the amendment, property owners whose onsite septic systems are functioning may pay a periodic standby fee (staff discussion estimated typical amounts might range from about $30–$35 per month) instead of connecting immediately; when a system fails or a health/regulatory authority requires connection the owner will be required to hook up to the main line. Staff emphasized the standby fee is not an escrow for future connection costs but rather a charge to cover infrastructure upkeep and availability while the septic remains in service.

Councilmembers and staff said they intend to set the final dollar amount for the standby fee by resolution once engineering and accounting staff establish a defensible rate. A councilmember asked how long property owners will have to pay the standby charge before connection becomes mandatory; staff said the ordinance and a subsequent resolution will set timing and notification procedures. “This just gives an option for people that maybe can’t afford immediate sewer connection,” a staff member said during the hearing.

To support modernization of utility billing and communications infrastructure, the council adopted Resolution R6162026 c to increase the monthly communications/technology line on utility bills from $2 to $4. Staff presented a proposal to purchase PathPoint, a payment and billing system that includes tap-to-pay and improved chargeback handling, and proposed incentive credits for customers who select paperless or autopay options. Staff said the technology charge is intended to recover roughly $1.40 per month to service the new system with the remainder continuing to support the city’s TV-hill broadcast costs. Councilmembers discussed fee design (flat monthly versus per-transaction) and agreed to preserve options for customers to pay by cash or check without the surcharge.

Votes at a glance - FY2027 budget — Motion by Councilmember Albrecht; seconded by Councilmember Cox; adopted by roll call (affirmative recorded in the transcript). Provenance: topicintro SEG 1484 — topfinish SEG 2010. - Ordinance 6 16 20 26 a (statutory pay/COLA) — Motion by Councilmember Skeena; seconded by Councilmember Hunter; ordinance passed by roll call. Provenance: topicintro SEG 836 — topfinish SEG 879. - Ordinance 6 16 20 26 b (sewer connection amendment, standby fee) — Adopted; motion and roll call followed public hearing. Provenance: topicintro SEG 2050 — topfinish SEG 2274. - Ordinance 6 16 20 26 d (update code notice procedures) — Adopted to modernize publication/notice processes. Provenance: topicintro SEG 2290 — topfinish SEG 2403. - Resolution R6162026 c (communication/technology fee) — Adopted to fund PathPoint integration and TV-hill support. Provenance: topicintro SEG 2576 — topfinish SEG 3253.

What happens next Staff will: publish the adopted FY2027 budget; return with a recommended standby-fee amount and associated fee schedule for the sewer-connection ordinance; finalize the PathPoint procurement and customer-enrollment incentives; and verify the exact state-code citation and penalty language for the Level 2 fire restriction (adopted separately; see related article). The council set a follow-up meeting schedule and asked staff to provide defensible calculations for proposed fees before broad public outreach.