Council to discuss ambulance utility fees

By Terry Murry on Tuesday, March 1st, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

COLLEGE PLACE – The College Place City Council will hold a workshop today (Tuesday) at 5:30 p.m. to discuss ambulance utility rate options. The deficit to operate fire and ambulance and emergency medical services for the 2022 budget is estimated at $907,000.

Finance Director Brian Carleton said that $500,000 of that is attributable to ambulance and emergency medical services. An ambulance utility fee is being recommended to provide the revenue source for that amount. The current fund will continue to provide the $400,000 in funding for the College Place Fire Department.

Also on the agenda, a discussion on creating a Walla Walla Valley creative district. The state established the creative district process in 2017 and since that time 11 creative districts have come into being in the state with the nearest in Kennewick. Creative districts are corridors where a variety of theater and arts establishments and programs exist.

City Administrator Mike Rizzitiello is proposing to turn in a joint application with the city of Walla Walla. If accepted into this program it allows for unique signage, entry into a statewide directory, access to a state capital grant program for arts which includes public arts and events and assists when requesting legislative appropriations. To be eligible for grant funds in the next biennium through the state capital arts account, the city of College Place must act on this in 2022.

The workshop may be viewed on the city’s YouTube channel or via Zoom. The meeting ID number is 856 0001 0459.