Payette council OK’s new mandate
By Jeff Ward
Argus Observer
Wednesday, July 9, 2008 12:40 PM PDT
Payette — The Payette City Council Monday passed an ordinance that will raise the cost of utility deposits, set delinquent fees and put the cost of moving meters on residents.
In its first meeting of July, the council’s top priority was Ordinance 1295, considered by the council at its previous three meetings. The ordinance amends sections 13.04.100 through 13.04.250 (A) and section 13.08.090 (B) of the city’s municipal code allowing charges for owner- requested meter relocation to adjust the utility account deposit fee and provide for a utility account delinquent charge.
Councilman Ivan Mussell expressed concern that during tough economic times a rate increase, even for delinquent accounts, was not advisable.
The ordinance passed with Mussell the lone dissenting vote.
The deposit fee for utilities will be raised from $100 to $125 and the cost of moving a meter will be only the cost of labor and materials. It was noted that those who set up a new utility account when they move into Payette will have their deposit refunded if they are current with their utility bill for one full year.
In other council news, the status of the Payette greenway was broached. An unpaved section of the greenway remains closed because of high water and debris. Robert Weaver, who owns much of the property along the route of the closed section, said something needs to be done to keep people out of the area.
“There was a family riding along there just the other day on their bikes,” Weaver said. “The ground out there is so eroded away that one little girl had the trail give out from under her. My son pulled her out of the mud and water, but she lost her bike. The erosion that’s taken place out there this year has been great and someone is going to get seriously hurt if something isn’t done to keep them from going past the pavement.”
One suggestion was to shore up the eroded area and finish paving the greenbelt. “Simply putting up barricades doesn’t seem to be working,” Weaver said. “The barricades get pulled down or moved. The area is not policed well. Also, the rope swing that has been there forever needs to be removed or blocked off when the water level is low.”
Payette Mayor Doug Henderson told Weaver the council has already considered many of his requests.
“All of those suggestions are already on the table for our next budget meeting,” Henderson said. “We have, in the past, discussed paving and other ideas for that area. We have just never set anything down as policy and I think we need to do that.”
Weaver said his family would be willing to work with the city to keep their private property protected and to still have access to the greenway.
