DAYTON–The City Council met on Election Day November 7, approved Resolution 1525 - a 1% tax levy increase; and Resolution 1524 -an increase in utility rates and tax. Council is also working through the preliminary 2024 budget of $13.2 million. A public hearing on the budget in on the agenda for the November 21 meeting. The board also heard from Wash. State. Rep. Joe Schmick, Colfax, R-9 concerning public record policy.

Council had some discussion before approving Resolution 1525 for the allowable 1% tax levy increase and to take $20,000 of the banked capacity of levy funds they previously had not taken. Most of the council supported it to help fund the costs for the city to operate. Council member Laura Aukerman offered a dissenting opinion and was against raising property taxes by any amount. She challenged Council to find other ways to increase revenue and claimed that if all entities raise the tax by 1% it adds up. Council approved the resolution 6-1.

Resolution 1524 was also approved 4-3 to raise the utility rate by 8.5% and the utility tax 3.5%. In 2021, Council votes to raise the utility tax rate to 12% to cover the contracted services with the County for law enforcement, dispatch, and municipal services. The 8.5% increase is to maintain the level of services for maintenance, operations, and capital improvements.

This would amount to $5.92 per month per residence. Aukerman suggested because Dayton's fees are far less than those in surrounding communities, that they lower the excessive water use threshold for charging a higher rate. However, the motion passed to approve the increase without raising the threshold with Aukerman, Shannon McMillen and Jim Su'euga dissenting.

A public hearing for review of the 2024 preliminary budget is on the agenda for the November 21 meetings. The budget is available for review on the City of Dayton website. The proposed budget totals $13.2 million which is $1.1 million over what was budgeted for in 2023.

Mayor Weatherford in his 2024 Budget Message says, "This budget is a way to balance income, expenses, and financial goals of 2024. The increased budget has room to account for continuing to provide the public services our residents deserve, continuing to improve our GIS [mapping] program, our irrigation systems at our City Park and Cemetery, snow removal, the city-wide crack seal and pothole projects, and water meter change over project."

He further indicates the utility rate tax increase is solely used to pay for the agreement with the county for the contracted services and meet outstanding debt service requirements. A proposed portion of the budget is for sealing 80% of the city roads with Otta Seal which is more durable than traditional chip sealing. If approved from the Transportation Improvement Board, the cost to Dayton would be $75,000 of the $1.5 million project. Council approved moving forward during the meeting to pay Anderson Perry $1250 for planning services for the project.

State Rep. Joe Schmick, R-9, spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting. He advised Council to make a policy to charge fees for public records requests partly because it takes time for the staff to review and fulfill the requests. He also recommended they consider holding a public hearing to revise the comprehensive plan to include the allowance of a drug rehabilitation center in Dayton.