Environmental Services Commission Meeting - October 3, 2025
Environmental Services Commission Meeting - October 3, 2025
The Environmental Services Commission met on October 3, 2025, to discuss proposed bylaw updates and review the draft results of the sewer cost of service analysis. The commission also heard public comments and received updates from staff and city council.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the agenda as presented.
- Approved the September 4, 2025, meeting minutes as motioned.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Alex Zimmerman spoke at length, making hateful and offensive remarks. The commission stated it does not condone such speech but respects First Amendment rights.
- Ashi Mishra, a Bellevue Youth Link Adult Board member, invited commissioners to the annual Youth Link Gumbo Night on October 22, 2025, at Crossroads Community Center from 6-8 p.m.
Discussion Items
- Proposed ESC Bylaw Updates: Staff presented updates to align with recently adopted city ordinances (6864 and 6865). Key changes included limiting service to two consecutive terms on any advisory board or commission and extending the maximum exclusion period for decorum violations from 60 to 180 days, with a clarified appeal process. Commissioner Kurt noted a discrepancy between the draft ("the commission") and the intent ("any commission") regarding term limits. Staff agreed to follow up with the city attorney. A motion was made and seconded to bring the updated bylaws back for final approval at the November meeting.
- Sewer Cost of Service Analysis: Matt Thurber and Matt Hobson presented draft results. The analysis uses 2027 as the test year. Key findings: Single-family residential and non-residential classes each recover 91% of their cost of service, while multifamily recovers 123%, resulting in an unintentional subsidy from multifamily. Staff recommended incremental improvement over 3-5 years rather than an immediate correction. Options shown: a 5-year phase-in would raise single-family rates ~13-14% annually (vs. the average 11% across all classes); a 3-year phase-in would raise them ~15-16%. Multifamily increases would be lower: ~4-7% under either option. Commissioners discussed longer phase-ins (e.g., 7 years) and the need to consider the total utility bill impact (sewer, water, stormwater). Staff will return in November with rate design options and additional analysis.
Key Outcomes
- Motion passed to bring the revised ESC bylaws to the November meeting for final approval (moved, seconded, approved unanimously).
- No final decision on sewer cost of service; staff will present further options in November, including rate design and intra-class equity improvements.
- Next meeting date: November 6, 2025, with agenda items including bylaw adoption, solid waste program update, cost of service rate design, and utility bill assistance program.
- The commission adjourned at 7:52 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
All right. Good evening. It's 6 31, and I'm calling the October 2nd Environmental Services Commission meeting to order. First, we'll take our roll call. Uh Commissioner Lutterman. Present. Commissioner DuPirtis. He is currently absent. Commissioner Hynosh is an excused absence. Oh Commissioner DuPertis, can you hear us? President Can you hear me? Yes. Thank you. Commissioner Laxon. Present. Thank you. Commissioner Margolis. Present. Thank you. Commissioner Tyson. Present. Thank you. Good evening and welcome to the October 2nd Environmental Services Commission meeting. First item is the approval of the agenda. May I have a motion to approve the agenda? I move to approve the agenda. And a second. Thank you. Are there any um requested changes or modifications to the agenda? Hearing no uh changes, uh, the agenda is approved as motioned. We will now move into our oral and written communications. Oral and written communications are now open. Remember that there is a three-minute time limit per person and 30 minutes total per meeting. Public comment shall be limited to matters relating to city of Bellevue government and to subject matters encompass within the power and duties of this commission. Persons participating in commission meetings must not engage in speech or conduct that disrupts, disturbs, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of any meeting. Disruptions may include and are not limited to failure of a speaker to comply with the commission bylaws concerning public comment. In compliance with Washington state campaign laws regarding the use of public facilities during elections, no excuse me, no speaker may support or oppose a ballot measure or support or pose a candidate for an election, which includes your own campaign. Any speaker who begins discussing topics of this nature will be asked to stop. First off, Joe, are there any written communications this evening? There are no written communications. Okay, thank you. Second, we have uh one person registered for oral communications, Mr. Zimmerman. Please come up. Yeah, but yeah. I'm so sorry. Yeah, well, I can put this okay. I will please yeah, this high dory Nazi pig. You possibly come today and accept something, but is nobody in state Washington have. Is this new rule?
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