Council tables sewer customer classes ordinance to allow clearer draft and wet‑weather definitions

The Mount Angel City Council voted on March 3 to table the second reading of Ordinance 781, which would update sewer customer classes and how wet‑weather usage can be averaged into sewer billing.

City staff member Tara explained that if the council wishes to include wet‑weather usage in the code, the ordinance must identify which months will be used to compute wet‑weather averages and that an additional whereas statement was added by the attorney and needed to be read before a second reading could proceed. "We do not have a recommendation from Matt, other than what he already provided, which was using mid‑October through mid‑April," Tara said when asked about typical month ranges.

Council members expressed concern about making substantive wording changes during a second reading and about the precision of the ordinance language. One councilor moved to table the item until the next meeting so staff could return with a draft that reflected the council's general consensus for proper reading and legal compliance; another councilor seconded the motion. A roll‑call vote recorded ayes from the council members present and one member absent, and the motion to table carried.

Councilors and staff agreed that, if brought back, the ordinance should reflect the city engineer’s recommendation on wet‑weather months, and that legal review would occur before any formal second reading.

Next steps: staff will return with an updated draft and, if council chooses, a first reading of a revised ordinance at a subsequent meeting.