Garfield council adopts new water-rate ordinance and invokes emergency clause

The Garfield City Council on Dec. 10 adopted Ordinance 215, revising municipal water rates, and invoked the ordinance's emergency clause so it takes effect immediately.

Recorder-Treasurer Christal Allen read Ordinance 215 by title before the council voted. Council Member Smead moved to approve the ordinance; Council Member Teeselink seconded. Council Members Teeselink, Kitterman, Smead and Rambo each voted yes. Mayor Gary Blackburn announced the ordinance passed and the council then moved to invoke the emergency clause, again passing unanimously.

The ordinance was introduced by Mayor Blackburn as part of the meeting’s business after department and committee reports. Officials did not provide a detailed rate schedule in the meeting transcript. The council followed its usual motion-and-vote procedure, including a motion to suspend the rules to read the ordinance three times by title, which the body approved before final passage.

The city also discussed related water-department matters earlier in the meeting: water distribution operator Duncan Artt reported November unaccounted-for water loss of 15.89% and said two leaks were repaired. Artt and the mayor told the council they met with the engineer and projected interior tank repairs to start in March or April 2025; a pressure-release valve is planned for Mountain Drive.

No public comment about the rate change is recorded in the meeting transcript. The ordinance reading, vote and invocation of the emergency clause were completed during the Dec. 10 meeting.