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NEWPORT — The Newport City Council has lowered the water and sewer rate increase set for next year.
Instead of raising the rates by $13 total as proposed in a preliminary 2026 budget, the council unanimously voted for an increase of only $8.50 at its meeting Monday, Dec. 15. Currently, water and sewer rates are $132.
City staff accomplished this by calculating another rate for loan repayment rather than following estimates previously suggested by engineers, city administrator Abby Gribi said at the meeting. The city already meets some debt requirements, and city staff could not find a basis for those estimates. Additionally, city staff lowered the cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) on both the water and sewer rates from 3% to 2.9%.
“We have $3 going into debts that we’ve accepted, but are not yet in repayment,” Gribi said. “So, we’re moving towards that positive momentum of having a plan in place as we’re taking on this debt.”
The city has yet to fully repay two loans: a Washington State Department of Ecology loan and a 2003 U.S. Department of Agriculture sewer bond, both of which funded improvements to the wastewater treatment plant.
Previously, the city was not charging residents enough to cover payments for the sewer bond; with the $13 increase, the city expected to be in compliance with repayment within six years.
However, concerns were raised by council members in November and earlier this month that $13 was too high for many residents.
Council member Mark Zorica referred to the $8.50 increase as a “nice olive branch,” though the council may have to raise rates even more in 2027 to compensate.
“There’ll be some tough discussions to have for the following year,” Zorica said at the meeting. “At least we can prepare the public for that.”
Also removed from the budget was $10,000 for a Newport Police Department contract with Flock Safety and $15,000 for a fence around the RV Park.
In other business, the council amended two municipal codes, one to set a July date for the submission of cross-connection tests to the city and another to permit county maintenance to clear vehicles parked from 2 to 6 a.m. at city parking and loading zones.
Toward the end of the meeting, Ken Smith was thanked by Mayor Keith Campbell, other council members and even Pend Oreille County Commissioner Robert Rosencrantz for about 23 years of service on the council. Smith is retiring this year, with Nathan Weathers taking his seat in January.
“I’m stepping away when I feel like it’s in good hands,” Smith said at the meeting. “I think it’s time.”
