Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Telford bid farewell as four sworn in
DAVENPORT—A busy end to 2021 for city council included the reinstitution of water late fees, approval of the 2022 city budget and swearing in of four councilmembers Dec. 22.
The first resolution passed by council reinstated the late fee for customers overdue on water payments and allows water shut offs effective immediately, with a catch.
The resolution, which took effect immediately after passage, also created a new city program that allows customers to make payment arrangements for past due balances, city clerk Dave Leath said.
If customers do not make such arrangements by a date listed on overdue flyers handed out on doorknobs, however, the city can once again shut off that resident’s water.
Water shutoffs haven’t been enacted by the city since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020.
Council also approved the 2022 budget, allowing the city to meet its legal requirement of having a budget advertised and approved by the end of each calendar year.
The budget projects $7,590,542 in expenditures and $8,394,792 in revenues. The largest budget is the airport capital improvement fund with $2,326 in revenues and $2,275,069 in expenditures projected.
Other large budgets include the current expense fund,with $1,803,510 in expenditures and $1,869,080 in revenues budgeted, the street fund, with $454,250 in revenues and $404,350 and expenditures projected, the airport capital improvement fund and the water/sewer/garbage funds, with $1,608,450 in revenues and $1,485,900 in expenditures projected between those three funds.
Each city fund has budgeted more revenues than expenditures, except for the swimming pool reserve fund, which has $2,610 budgeted on each side.
Council also officially approved the resignation of Nathan Hansen, who hasn’t been attending council meetings since moving outside city limits in November. Citizens must live within city limits to sit on city council.
After the regular meeting was adjourned, council presented flowers and gifts to Theresa Telford, who attended her last meeting after 18 years on city council. Telford had been on council since 2004 and successfully ran for re-election in each election cycle following until deciding against filing this year. Telford’s family was present for her final meeting.
Mayor Brad Sweet then swore in Telford’s replacement, new councilmember Jessica Smith, concurrently with the re-elected Lance Strite and Cory Hollis. Patrick Katz, who was also re-elected in November, was absent for the meeting.
Council’s first meeting of the New Year is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. in City Hall.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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