The Washington City Council took care of some first of the year housekeeping at its initial meeting in 2024. The Council heard the first reading of an ordinance authorizing the use of funds from the Rainy Day Fund to establish pass-through accounts for state funds for the old U.S. 50 project, which is set to begin this spring. The Council also introduced an ordinance setting fees for Water World of Washington this summer. Single-day admission will go from $3 to $4, and a book of 20 passes will now cost $50. Park Superintendent Kip Kelly told the Council that this is the first increase in prices since Water World opened in 2009.
The Council suspended the rules and gave approval to an ordinance raising adoption fees at the Animal Shelter. State law requires all dogs and cats adopted from the shelter to be spayed or neutered. The Animal Shelter’s costs have gone up, and the raise reflects these costs. The fee to adopt a dog will now be $145. If the dog has already been spayed or neutered, the fee is $50. For cats, the fee is $60, or $40 if the cat has already been spayed or neutered. In other business, the Council named Alan Brown to be president pro tem for 2024, approved naming Councilman Tom Gress to the City Plan Commission, and approved the list of encumbered funds for the city’s December bills payable in January. Mayor Rhoads appointed Anita Ash and David Dahl to the Board of Public Works and Safety.
After the council meeting, the Board of Public Works and Safety approved a pay request for the Waste Water Improvement Project. The projected date for the improvements to be on line continues to be the last of February. The next Council and Board of Works meetings are scheduled for January 22.