Raymond to switch from bi-monthly to monthly billing

The Raymond City Council met the night of Monday, November 2 and with the council in full attendance, squared business away with the approval of the previous meeting's minutes and the current meeting's agenda.

The first item that the council dealt with was a public hearing for the 2016 revenues, and the switch from bi-monthly billing to monthly billing. Mayor Dunsmoor opened the public hearing at 6:04, at which time Raymond Citizen Richard Curtis inquired: "I just came here to try to talk a little bit about the rates and hope to come up to some sense of discussion about the water rate, the sewer rate and things like that." Dunmoor gave him the option to talk about the issues at that time or later in the meeting when it was more pertinent. After deciding to hold the public comment until later the council moved to the next item on the agenda.

The next item was Ordinance 1844, which was the first reading of the utility rates making the switch from bi-monthly to monthly billing, "These are the rates that were discussed in the previous council hearings and we've put together an ordinance form for the water, sewer, and garbage," said Clerk/Treasurer Hester Gilleland. The council moved to approve the first reading of the ordinance.

It was at this time that Curtis chose to inquire about the new 2016 rates: "Well I'd like to have it exactly defined as far as what will be the base rate for water, my understanding is $85 for sewer. How much more is that than now," asked Curtis. Dunsmoor answered that it is $150 on a bi-monthly basis, meaning that it will go to $75 per month. Curtis next in asked about the sewer rates: "The main increase is in the sewer, is that correct," askedCurtis, to which Dunsmoor answered that there would be an increase to the sewer rates as well as the garbage rates. "Sewer rates will increase by $10 a month," said Dunsmoor.
"Hold on, so we've talked about sewer, we've talked about water and now we can talk about garbage," said Dunsmoor. Curtis responded: "Basically it's a commonality within the whole process here of understanding, and that's the idea of like a simple pie graph to know what it takes to support the water department, sewer department, and where the garbage rates are going towards. Because people need to have an understanding of some type of where all this stuff is going to."

Dunsmoor answered Curtis: "You have a fixed cost and the whole point of having a flat garbage fee every month is so people can have a garbage disposal service. The basic fee is to have a truck drive around, and the rates go to a fixed fund that pays for the garbage truck, pays for the person driving it, all it goes to is garbage."

"The next thing is the business license cost, it's like a slap in the face it's hard enough right now to do business in Raymond Washington. How little money are you going to earn if you double the business licenses," said Curtis.

Dunsmoor responded by ultimately saying that the discussion was not about business licenses, and that the business license increase is only an idea being thrown around at this point, "there's nothing having to do with business licenses in front of the council, no ordinances, nothing to discuss because they haven't even decided anything on that issue yet."

The council passed the first reading of the ordinance pertaining to the switch from bi-monthly billing to monthly billing.

The head of department reports was the next item on the agenda, Fire Chief Strozyk was the only head of department with something to report: "The Department of Homeland Security is opening up the AFG Grant period, Assistance to Firefighters Grant Period, and I would like to apply for some grants mainly for a new fire apparatus (Fire Truck). My first request would be for permission for us to apply for some Fire Grants.

The council moved to approve Strozyk's request to apply for a grant.

The next Raymond City Council meeting will be held on Monday, November 16 at 6pm at the Raymond City Hall.