Buckley officials recently discovered the city had failed to enter into an agreement with the state’s Department of Revenue to receive a reimbursement on certain tax collections.
That oversight was cleared up during the July 26 meeting of the City Council.
The state allows cities and counties to collect a share of the 12.84 percent tax charged by the state for the lease or rent of public facilities. The city’s share is a 4 percent tax and Buckley will now automatically receive the money.
In other matters during the meeting, council members:
• approved a request seeking additional money for a road project.
Buckley received a $107,700 grant award from the state Transportation Board in December 2010 to complete the overlay of River Avenue from Main Street to Park Avenue. The original budget was nearly $105,000 for design, construction management and construction costs, but when the lowest bid came in $11,000 higher, the council unanimously approved a request to the TIB for additional funding.
• approved an interlocal agreement between the Carbonado and Buckley fire departments. It was agreed, in order to assure safety for such joint operations, staff of each department may meet to establish a schedule for training of personnel.
The duration of this agreement is one year, but the pact will automatically be continued year-to-year unless officially terminated.
• approved the initiation of the scope of work for the design and engineering of the emergency intertie booster pump station that would connect the city water system to Tacoma’s pipeline that runs through town. Buckley received a $323,800 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency in January of 2010, but the preliminary estimated cost for the project is $607,000. In the interest of moving forward, the council was encouraged to authorize “Task 2” which involves preparing an environmental report, including an archaeological investigation.
