Buckley city council members adopted their 2023 budget, property taxes and special levies during their Nov. 23 council meeting.

All present councilmembers except Marvin Sundstrom voted to accept next year’s budget. Sundstrom raised concerns over whether city funds are being properly disbursed, citing RCW 35.91 in state law. (Council member Kenneth Arsano was absent and excused, as was Mayor Beau Burkett. Mayor pro tem Ron Smith served in Burkett’s stead.)

The council also passed their 2023 property tax levy, which increases the levy on existing construction by the legal limit of 1 percent. Smith cautioned the council earlier in the meeting that they did not necessarily have to take the 1 percent increase, especially given rising inflation rates and the looming threat of an economic recession. He was the sole council member to vote against the property tax levy.

The council unanimously passed both the EMS tax levy and the fire station levy for 2023.

Also on Tuesday Nov. 22, the council…

Approved a $10,000 youth cannabis prevention grant from the Pierce County Department of Health, to be used to educate young people in town about the law and use/misuse of cannabis, and to help local youth create a mural in town. All but Sundstrom voted for the measure.

Unanimously awarded a bid for a floor repair and replacement project at the Buckley multipurpose center to Lake Tapps construction for the price of $27,624 plus tax. The project will address a flooring issue at the building where a mud bed is failing, and replace the mud bed with sheets of plywood and new flooring on top, according to Public Works Director Chris Banks.

Unanimously awarded a bid for a carpet replacement project at the multipurpose center to Lake Tapps construction for the price of $13,661 plus tax. Carpeting at parts of the building is old and starting to lift, according to Banks, and needs to be replaced.