City of Auburn City Council Meeting

The City of Auburn City Council held a special meeting on October 13, 2026, followed in the transcript by a study session identified as October 12. At the special meeting, Council passed Ordinance 7042, authorizing an additional 0.01% sales and use tax for eligible services supporting children and families. The city estimated its annual share at approximately $270,000–$340,000; the funds must be used for authorized services, and specific uses will return to Council for discussion, likely through a budget amendment. At the study session, staff presented the proposed 2027 fee schedule for consideration at a future meeting: a general 4% increase, 5% increases for certain applications with more than three reviews, no proposed increases to TIF or system development charges, and incremental increases to some water connection fees reflecting higher meter costs. Airport fee adjustments were also discussed, including higher rates for newly enclosed hangars. No fee-schedule vote or contract award was recorded.

Council also reviewed proposed 2027 legislative priorities, including state funding for the East Valley Highway widening project and support for the SR 167 implementation plan, along with parks grant priorities that included $197,000 for Terminal Park playground improvements and a further parks request listed as $1.214 million in the transcript. Council reached consensus to retain the proposed priority document, add surveillance pricing as an issue to watch with revised wording, and return the agenda for approval the following week. Other discussion covered the equity office’s outreach and grant-access work, and upcoming city planning updates; no additional procurement or vendor-selection actions were identified.