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Council briefed on wastewater treatment project, water-meter rollout and related rate/bond planning
Summary
Staff outlined a $30M wastewater treatment program being placed in a bond-construction fund, water-line replacements, a watershed plan match, and a large cellular meter rollout with recurring software costs; council discussed grants, timing and legal questions about serving outside city boundaries.
At the June 17 workshop staff said the wastewater fund is the central driver of the enterprise budget and the city is positioning for a roughly $30 million wastewater treatment plant program. Sarah explained the city is coordinating permitting with the state (DEQ) and is preparing to procure design and construction professionals so work can begin quickly once requirements are met.
On the water side, staff reviewed several capital projects: a proposed Great Northern stormwater-and-road-rehab approach (with utilities deferred unless a federal grant is secured), downtown revitalization water-main replacements, and targeted line replacements to address aging galvanized and cast iron mains. Sarah said the city had implemented a rate structure in 2022–23 that improved the wastewater fund’s net position as it prepares to borrow.
Public works staff also described a major cellular meter conversion. Holly said 1,500 cellular water meters have been ordered in the first round and that the transition will require new software and endpoint costs, which staff estimated at roughly $49,000 annually. Council members asked whether operational savings from remote reads and leak detection would be tracked; staff agreed to follow up with projected savings and said meter endpoint fees and recurring software costs will be ongoing operating expenses charged to the water fund.
Councilors raised cross‑jurisdictional questions about providing water outside city limits. Staff said they had contracted a legal assessment in the past and budgeted $20,000 for additional legal work this fiscal year but cautioned that contentious negotiations could require more funding or a budget amendment.
Staff emphasized grant-seeking for major street+utility projects and said that absent grant awards the city will pursue scaled or phased versions of projects.
