by Richard Uhlhorn
At the April 28 City Council meeting, Heidi Evans, city finance director, gave a quick overview of the City’s financial health. She stated that the City peaked financially in 2022 and then began declining up to 2025 with a modest recovery in 2026. “We’ve seen a four percent decline in revenue,” she said. She added that the City’s Interfund Transfer Program is vital to the city’s funding success. “The Interfund is relieving pressure,” said Evans.
Report notes:
- Local sales taxes peaked in 2023 but began declining in 2024 through 2026. Sales taxes are 40 to 50 percent of the city’s general fund revenue. Revenue is cyclic and sensitive to the city’s economic activity.
- Driving the decline are insurance costs which have outpaced inflation.
- The Interfund Program is helping to relieve pressure as designed with a net gain of $305,022.
- Lodging taxes have been relatively flat over the past five years. The city has budgeted $812,500 between the Historic Downtown Chelan Association and the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce. The city has budgeted $800,000 in lodging tax revenue but is now projecting $1.2 million.
- The Chelan Parks system’s RV Park is up 47 percent since 2022. “This is the largest revenue generator in the division,” wrote Evans. However, she reported that the general parks expenditures have nearly tripled since 2022 based on staffing, insurance rates and interfund charges.
- Golf course revenue has increased 88 percent since 2022. However, insurance is up 78 percent for operations and 182 percent on maintenance. Operational wages are up 61 percent and maintenance wages are up 123 percent.
- Sewer, water an sanitation services have surpassed expenditures.
Our Valley – Our Future presentation:
Rachel Evey, executive director of Our Valley Our Future presented the organizations direction towards completing an action plan which will be completed by November.
Currently the organization is engaging with communities through June and by August will have the vision in place. From August to November the plan will be developed and then once developed, the plan will be launched from November through January.
Our Valley Our Future has 68 letters of support and $100 million plus in funding committed to the program.
They are concentrating on the current housing crisis and will be holding a housing summit on June 11 at Leavenworth’s Festhalle. The wildfire group will be launching a new website; wildfirencw.org/fuegoncw.org in the near future.
Councilman Shane Collins asked what the organization’s role is in the Northshore Pathway. Evey stated that Chelan-Douglas Transportation Council is one of Our Valley’s partners and said they are working on the Regional Pathway project including the Manson to Chelan Pathway. “It is my understanding that there is no funding for it right now.” said Evey.
Mayor Erin McCardle remarked at how much the organization has already accomplished. “Its been an amazing organization,” she said. “Thank you for coming up.”
Interested parties can go to their website and subscribe to a newsletter or follow them on social media at ourvalleyncw.
In other business:
The council approved a number of ordinances and resolutions along with several engineering task authorizations.
City Administrator Laura McAloon told the council that they would be considering approving and adopting the City’s Municipal Code at its next council meeting on May 26.
Upcoming:
Chelan will hold its monthly workshop on Tuesday, May 5 with two major presentation of interest to the community.
The National Golf Foundation will be presenting its findings on the Chelan Golf Course.
The Transpo Group will be presenting its findings on their downtown traffic analysis including configurations for the Woodin Avenue Bridge.
The workshop begins as 5:15 in the city’s council chambers. The public is welcome to attend.
All Things Lake Chelan 