Council sends water project to voters

A 30-year bond that would provide as much as $25 million for downtown Lewiston infrastructure upgrades will go before voters May 20.

The Lewiston City Council on Monday unanimously approved putting the measure on the ballot. The first of several information sessions will be at 5:30 p.m. on March 19, on the second floor of the Lewiston City Library at 411 D St.

At least one information session will be at a location in the Lewiston Orchards at a date that hasn’t yet been scheduled.

Councilors signed a letter right after the vote that outlined the thinking behind the proposed project and the reasons for seeking a bond to pay for it.

“While the city has made improvements to water and wastewater treatment plants, the aging pipes that transport water and wastewater remain outdated, leading to leaks, failures and repair costs,” according to the letter.

The bond money would cover replacement of old, undersized pipes to improve water quality and reduce leaks. It would also upgrade sewer mains carrying wastewater to treatment plants. At the same time, it would also improve stormwater drainage to reduce flood risks and repair streets and sidewalks that were removed during construction.

“Without funding, infrastructure issues will persist, potentially leading to higher maintenance costs, increased failure risks, and possible utility rate adjustments,” according to the letter. “The city would need to explore alternative funding sources, such as grants or property tax changes, but these options are uncertain and may not fully cover project costs.”

The city’s plan is to use existing budgeted revenue and reserves to repay the bond without increasing property taxes or utility rates, according to the letter.

But if those sources are insufficient to make the bond payments, the estimated maximum cost of the bond is $36.15 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value per year minus the homeowner’s exemption.

The cost would be $86.75 per year or $7.23 per month for an average Lewiston home assessed at $364,985, according to the letter.

Three business leaders shared their support for the bond during public comments.

Since all of the water in Lewiston flows downhill, downtown Lewiston’s infrastructure affects the entire business community, said Linnea Noreen, CEO and president of the Lewis Clark Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“When systems fail, businesses fail,” she said. “This is in situations where businesses then have to tap into insurance. They might not have the funds.”

The community’s economic vitality is dependent on a vibrant downtown, “which is not possible when storefronts are shuttered because property owners cannot develop the properties,” Noreen said.

The project is not expected to cost any more taxes, but allowing systems to fail likely will, she said.

“We don’t want to wait to a point where the systems do fail and we’re not only looking at replacing the systems, but also mitigating any damage that might ensue,” Noreen said.

It makes sense to do the work all at once instead of several phases, said Darce Vassar-Kopczynski, a broker with Coldwell Banker Tomlinson in downtown Lewiston.

That approach will cause the least amount of disruption to downtown businesses that will face significant hardships even with one project, she said.

“It is the logical and proactive approach to alleviating our aging city’s infrastructure,” she said.

“We have 100-plus-year-old systems under these sidewalks and streets. They will fail. We just don’t know when.”

Williams is the business editor of the Lewiston Tribune. She may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.