Chelan council approves fee hikes, emergency services, biosolids

CHELAN – The city council addressed a range of issues, from biosolids to bulk water fees, during the second of its bimonthly meetings on Nov. 26.

Biosolids Contract

Chelan has had a biosolids agreement with Boulder Park Inc., and King County since 1998. It provides an avenue for Chelan to dispose of biosolids generated by its wastewater treatment plant. The current agreement expires at the end of this year. The agreement is for an additional five years.

“If you have even been up on the Mansfield plateau and seen the BPI signs that are related to this project where the byproduct is applied for agricultural use to help crop nutrient loads,” said Public Works Director Jake Youngren.”

Chelan generates approximately 125 tons of biosolids per year. Youngren said the Department of Ecology classifies and regulates biosolids, so Chelan must meet the DOE parameters established for the city’s class B product.

The new agreement will result in an approximate additional cost of $500 annually. The council approved the contract.

Lodging Tax Funding Agreement Extension

The city is working on final revisions to a Lodging Tax Fund agreement with the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce over integrating the data into the city’s system.

• 2012:  The city council approved a Lodging Tax Fund Agreement with the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce
• December 2017: Council approved a five-year Lodging Tax Fund Agreement.
• December 2022: Council approved a one-year extension agreement.
• November 2023: Council approved another one-year extension agreement.
• September 2024: Council created a Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce committee to review the upcoming Lodging Tax Fund Agreement.

The contract committee has requested an additional extension to complete the revisions.

“What you have before you is an extension of that contract for three months to March 31 with the goal of getting something that we can live with,” City Administrator Wade Farris said.

The council approved the extension. A new agreement will be placed before the council in early 2025.

Emergency Services Agreement

Chelan is mandated to have an emergency management plan and program in place and has contracted with the Chelan County Department of Emergency Management since 2002.

Similar to what Chelan does with Wenatchee Valley Humane Services for animal control, the city contracts with the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office for Emergency Services. Costs are assessed on a per capita basis. The 2024 rate was $3.08 per capita, and the 2025 rate has increased to $3.75 per capita.

“This is as pretty good deal because we do not have the bandwidth here to do it ourselves,” said Farris. “If we have an emergency they will roll in and do pretty much everything we need them to do for the county.”

The council approved the contract.

Amended Rates and Fees

The 60-page resolution includes the following revisions:

Public Works Department increased:

• City water fees.
• Stand-by fire service connection fees.
• Bulk water user fees.
• Monthly sewer rates 
• Residential collection rates.
• Commercial collection rates.
• Roll off compactor and drop box services.

Parks and Recreation Department increased: 

• Lakeshore RV Park rates.
• Miscellaneous RV park dump fees.
• Parking fees.
• Annual parking passes. 
• Lakeshore Marina rates.
• Daily moorage.
• Seasonal moorage.
• Greens Putting Course rates before and after 7 p.m.
• Lake Chelan Municipal Golf Course fees.
• Daily green fees.

Fees removed:

• Recreational program fees

Administration Department: 

• Removed public dance fees.
• Annual public dance license fee $200.
• Single public dance license fee $50. 
• Security deposit $200.
• Combined the black and white and colored paper copies at .15 cents per page (each side is one page) to one line item that reads…black and white, or colored paper copies.

Councilmember Tim Hollingsworth requested confirmation that parking fees for Chelan and Chelan Valley residents were not increased. Finance Director Jackie Tupling reassured Hollingsworth that no changes were made to the annual parking passes for Chelan and Chelan Valley residents.

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media