Cusick sewer rates likely to rise

Increase rates qualify town for large loans, grant

CUSICK — After initially voting against a sewer rate increase, the Cusick Town Council voted 4-1 to seek an increase at its meeting Tuesday, May 20.

Council members Afton Servas, Donna Dana Roger Brown and Jasmine Fitzhugh voted yes. Jon Adams voted no.

“We’ll advertise it two weeks, then hopefully adopt it June 10,” Cusick Mayor Tina Alford said. If the council votes to approve the increase, it will go into effect July 1, she said. The rates would be $91.65 per month for all customers, up from $65 a month. The last sewer rate increase for Cusick was in 2018.

There is a lot at stake, Alford said. The 4-1 Council vote was for a 20-year state Department of Ecology loan for $716,914, a $764,000 grant and another $102,165 forgivable loan.

In general, for additional funding, the sewer rates need to be sufficient to run an operation, about 1.5–2% of the area median income. The median household income for the Cusick area is $60,417, according to the 2023 U.S. Census American Community estimate.

The grant and loans from Ecology are for repairs to one of the lift stations for the wastewater plant. The lift station is used to pump wastewater to the treatment plant. It has broken down several times, Alfred said.

Stephanie May, spokesperson for the state Department of Ecology, said Ecology doesn’t set or influence utility rates and it is up to each local government to determine its rate structure. It does award funding, though.

“Funding can only be granted, however, if the town can demonstrate a repayment plan that also covers normal operations, maintenance, and emergency reserves,” she said in an email reply to questions from The Miner. Cusick’s current rates are insufficient to meet these costs, she wrote, but alternative repayment methods would be acceptable to Ecology.

When asked what happens if the Cusick Town Council doesn’t approve the rate increase, May said a rate increase doesn’t trigger any action on Ecology’s behalf. It is missing compliance deadlines that can lead to increasing enforcement actions and fines, she said.

“There is currently an administrative order requiring Cusick fix lift station one,” May said. “The administrative order was issued because Cusick had failed to meet the deadlines and there was a $2,000 penalty assessed. That money is now held in abeyance because the town proposed a new timeframe to complete the repairs. As long as the town meets the deadlines there will be no penalty assessed.” May said the grant and loan package the town applied for was to cover the lift station planning and repairs. There were additional funds that were planned to be used toward the Inflow and Infiltration planning effort, she said.

There will be a public hearing for comments and questions at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 10 at Cusick Town Hall. That will be followed by the adoption hearing for the ordinance raising the sewer rates. Cusick Town Hall is located at 111 1st Ave., in Cusick. People can call 509 6719145 for more information.