The council meeting tonight is so packed with stuff that people care about, you might actually want to make an appearance. If not, at least check the Source’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
We’re going to live tweet the meeting!
The most interesting things they’ll talk about tonight:
- Holding off on approving extra-strength charges for wastewater. Brewers in the area had felt targeted by the charges, which could mean new fees costing thousands of dollars a month for some breweries. On the other hand, the city’s current wastewater charge system targets some breweries, like Deschutes, and not others. The new plan fee structure would level the playing field, at least among breweries.
- Whether the city should let some new businesses defer paying start-up fees to the city, giving them a chance to get established first. The change might entice more small businesses to Bend boosting the economy and in the long run, tax revenue.
- Approval of a $19 million contract with the company that will manage construction of the new Bridge Creek pipeline. This may be quite exciting as the council contends with people who are hopping mad about the project. The city has not yet obtained a number of permits for the project. The city can put a clause in the contract explaining that if permits are denied the contract is null, but opponents to the project said it looks like the city is trying to paint itself into a fiscal corner—forcing the project to go forward at all costs.
- Approval of a big city water management plan that will include another rubber stamp of the $70 million Bridge Creek water project. This also promises to be exciting because of the reasons mentioned above. City officials say approving the plan is less a referendum on the project and more just a matter of procedure.
I know it all sounds wonky, but really it’s a good time. Work session starts at 5 p.m., meeting is at 7 p.m. Both are downtown at City Hall, 710 NW Wall St.
