Dayton City Council Report

Nov. 14, 2018

DAYTON—The Dayton City Council held the first of three public hearings for the city’s proposed $7,078,230 budget for 2019, during their monthly meeting last week.

The budget reflects an increase of 3.9% over 2018’s, and it includes rate increases for water and sewer utilities that will go into effect in January.

The proposed increase is $5.95 for sewer and $4.05 for water, for a residential unit within the city limits.

Mayor Craig George said the purpose of the increase is to help the city meet major capital improvement needs and provide for ongoing operation and maintenance of the water and sewer utility infrastructures as prescribed by the Department of Ecology and Department of Health.

Mayor George said the city will continue to emphasize infrastructure in 2019. Following is the list of projects planned in 2019:

Improve E. Clay St. between S. 7th and S. 8th Streets, and on N. Cherry St. from Commercial St. to the cul-de-sac.

Improve S. 5th S. from Day St. to the end of the street.

Install the next phase of automated sprinkler system in the city park.

Perform design engineering services for the S 3rd St. sidewalk project.

Continue the design phase for the reconstruction of the City’s wastewater treatment plant.

Continue efforts toward implementation of the 2015 Water System Plan, specifically for North Hill and Syndicate Hill pressure issues.

Perform video services of a series of sewer collection system main lines.

Research funding to make improvements to areas prone to flood damage.

Address the abandoned Dayton Fishing Pond culvert that may be affecting the integrity of the levee system.

Work with the county in creating a flood control zone district.

Research automated water meter readers, along with a replacement program.

Develop and implement various financial policies related to debt service, inter-fund loans and cost allocation.

Research and pursue community block grant funding to help programs such as affordable housing and energy savings.

Work directly with state and federal agencies to create a successful financial strategy, capitalize on outside funding sources to implement the recently completed large scale street and utility improvement plan.

Work with departments to surplus unnecessary real and personal property.

Continue to research grant opportunities.

Digitize public records.

Develop policies to become a Tree City USA member and capitalize on grant funding to improve the tree asset program.

Continue to review and update Dayton Municipal Codes.

Establish policies to assist in achieving financial stability in the current expense fund by 2021.

Investigate funding options to recreate and preserve the existing historic cemetery maps.

Look for alternative methods for watering the grounds at the cemetery.

Public hearings on the 2019 budget are scheduled for Nov. 28 at 6 p.m. at the City Hall, and during the regular council meeting at the City Hall, on Dec. 5 at 6 p.m.

Also at last week’s meeting, the city council adopted ordinances amending sections of the Dayton Municipal Code regarding abatement and removal of motor vehicles stored in the public right of way, habituation of them, and penalties for code violations.

The council also adopted a grant agreement with the Washington Office of the Secretary of State Archives and Records Management Division for a grant in the amount of $9,678.35, and they approved a service level agreement for document preparation and imaging services.

Digitizing records will begin once all signatures have been received. The deadline is May 31, 2019, said City Administrator Trina Cole.

A Public Works Board pre-construction loan contract in the amount of $1 million for property purchases related to the Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvement Project was also authorized.

The mayor’s appointments of Kari Dingman and Alicia Walker to the Dayton Planning Commission were also approved by the Dayton City Council.