At the North Bend City Council work session this week, councilors discussed Council Goals and Long-Term Funding. Release from the City of North Bend – The session’s primary focus was determining additional long-term funding for the city. The city administrator highlighted several potential funding initiatives, including: 1. Wastewater Treatment Rates: The city is considering a ballot initiative to increase wastewater treatment rates. This is crucial as the current rates are too low to qualify for grants. 2. Road Maintenance: The council discussed the possibility of implementing a road maintenance fee or a gas tax to address the poor condition of the city’s streets. The city can only afford to pave about a quarter mile of road per year. 3. Comparison with Other Cities: Newport, for example, is moving forward with a gas tax initiative. There are 32 cities in Oregon with similar taxes. The council debated the timing of these initiatives, considering whether to place them on the November ballot or wait until May of the following year. The consensus leaned towards addressing the wastewater treatment rates in November 2024 and potentially considering the road maintenance fee or gas tax in May 2025.
