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After another week of strained relationships with county officials, the Spokane Valley City Council tackled one area where it is in agreement with the Board of Commissioners’: moving forward with the building of a wastewater treatment plant.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, council members said they were supportive of moving forward with the plant’s construction and implementing new residential sewer charges. But while it is expected that the new rates will climb from the current $35.34 a month to the $50 range in coming years, council members said they hoped bonds to finance the $148 million facility (along with another $105 million in improvements to the sewer system) could be paid down in two decades.
Bruce Rawls, director of Spokane County Utilities, told the council that the plant – which had its official groundbreaking Thursday at 1004 N. Freya – could be financed in a number of ways. The question, however, is whether or not to pay off the debt in 25 years – with about $2 a month lower payments by property owners hooked up to the sewer – or in 20 years with a lower total costs by eliminating five years’ worth of interest charges.
“That’s a policy question,” City Manager David Mercier told council members who were looking for staff input.
While the council said they were concerned about keeping payments low, they said it was also important not to overspend on the facility, which is expected to come on-line in 2013.
“I would say a $2 difference is nominal,” said Council Member Steve Taylor, adding he supported the 20-year scenario with a five-year interest-only payment plan.
Rawls said he still expects to receive word in October from the state
Department of Ecology on whether or not the county will receive a permit to send treated wastewater into Spokane River. He added that he is optimistic that the news will be good.
“I have a sense it will be better for us,” he said.
If a permit isn’t secured, there is the option of sending treated water to Saltese Flats to create a wetlands area. While that permit might be easier to get, it would be more expensive for the county – and ratepayers – to build the necessary infrastructure to do the job.
Mayor Richard Munson said he is concerned that if either scenario doesn’t come together by 2013, the region could be forced into a building moratorium as sewage capacity would likely be reached at the Spokane wastewater plant where Spokane Valley effluent currently goes.
“That’s an interesting question,” Rawls said. “It could be close.”
In other news, Mercier announced he planned to move forward and would not exceed spending $49,800 for an analysis of the city’s District Court contract and possible alternatives. He added that he has retained the services of Anne Pflug of the state’s Department of Community Trade and Economic Development, who has performed similar court services alternative analyses for other jurisdictions.
In December, the council agreed to terminate its contract with Spokane County for District Court services, with the caveat it could rescind that termination if an analysis into alternate court systems proved unworkable. Council members have said they have no problems with the quality of service they are receiving from the District Court, but it’s simply a way to allow the city some flexibility to be able to either form its own court eventually or go with another provider in 2011.
Spokane Valley officials are reviewing alternatives for all 17 of its contracts with Spokane County after commissioners abruptly gave notice last December that county crews could no longer plow city streets after Oct. 15 of this year. The council wants potential “Plan B’s” in place for all its contracts with the county.
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By
Mike Huffman
