Clock ticking for Redmond public safety fee

The clock is ticking for the Redmond City Council to make a formal decision on a proposed public safety fee to fund additional patrol officers.

Monday evening marked the last town hall meeting before the council will decide on the issue in February. According to the city, a $6 fee, or $72 a year, added to each household’s monthly utility bill will allow the city to hire six more police officers.

The city presented data showing 13 cities in Oregon also have a safety fee, with an average of $5 a month. Police Lt. Curtis Chambers said the proposed fee would increase patrol team sizes from 3.2 to 4.4 officers.

Nonetheless, some said they’re concerned about a lack of a lid on the monthly charge, leaving a potential for it to increase. Others said they want vote to make the decision.

“I think this is an important enough issue that it ought to be voted on by the population, not just picked up on by the council,” resident Bill Guy said.

“If they aren’t going to put it to a vote of the people, I would rather see it in a different bill, rather than just a water bill,” Linda Guy added. “I just don’t think it belongs there.”

Mayor George Endicott also attended the meeting and explained some of the processes city staff and the council have to go through before making a final decision.

“Well, I don’t think we have made a final decision,” Endicott said. “We heard staff justify eight (officers), ask for six, and I’ve also heard councilors say, ‘Well, maybe we can do two a year.’ So it’s still out there and it’s still being discussed. No decisions have been made on either how many (more officers) we should get, when we should get them or how we are going to pay for them.”

The city council has three options: adopt the fee by ordinance, refer it to the ballot, or reject the whole idea. The council has until Feb. 13 to decide, if they wish to refer it to voters at the May primary.