Sunnyside City Services has a long list of priorities. Among those are the Adjustment of the Base Utility Rate, Utility Zones, and a new facility. There is also a discussion of monthly stipends for council members. The City is making every effort to address these issues as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Utility Zones

Utility zones are the boundaries of areas within a city that provide services to residents. In Sunnyside, the city’s utility zones encompass properties, structures, and facilities located within the city limits, as well as all land outside the city limits. Emergency medical services (EMS) use utility zones to define service areas and determine which utilities are responsible for a certain service.

Taxes on utilities are one of the city’s largest expenses, but they also pay for police, fire, and park services, and the general fund helps cover the costs of these services. For example, in 2016, the city spent nearly $300,000 on snow removal and another $250,000 to refurbish the municipal airport runaway and extend the taxiways.

Adjustment of Base Utility Rate

The city’s general fund is experiencing a dramatic increase in expenses. This is largely due to inflation. Among the expenses are the $3.5 million downtown core reconstruction project, which Sunnyside received a grant to finance. Other expenses include the police, fire, and park services provided by the city. Snow removal costs are also increasing, with more than $300,000 spent in 2016 alone. In addition, the city is spending $250,000 to renovate its municipal airport runaway and extend its taxiways.

The city has recently approved a series of utility rate adjustments, which will affect customers’ electric, water, and wastewater bills. The adjustments will be based on the year-to-year percentage change in the ENR Construction Cost (20-city average) Index as of December of the previous calendar year. The adjusted rates will be rounded to the nearest $0.05.

New facility

Sunnyside Community Services, a community-based non-profit, is constructing a new facility in Long Island City. It will house their Home Health Aide Training Program and caregiver services, as well as some of their administrative offices. The new facility will also feature a community room, outdoor exercise equipment, and a walking path. Construction is expected to be completed by the fall of 2022.

The Sunnyside Library was first built in 1911 with funds from the Carnegie Library Grant. In 1956, it became affiliated with the Yakima Valley Regional Library District. In 1965, the library opened a new facility. The library was annexed to the Yakima Valley Rural Library District in 2004. In 2015, the Sunnyside library underwent a major remodeling project.

Council members’ monthly stipends

The Sunnyside City Services Council is considering an increase to monthly stipends for its members. A recommendation made by the city’s Budget Committee would boost the amount given to each Councilor and Mayor by $1,000. The increase would be effective with the start of Fiscal Year 2021-2022. It would be the first increase in the Mayor’s stipend since 2007.

City Council members are part-time employees of the city and receive a monthly stipend of $400. Their annual salary is $4,800. This amount is slightly higher than the deputy mayor, who makes $500 monthly. It is not uncommon for a council member to have a full-time job with a higher salary.

Home health aide training program

Many individuals with disabilities need assistance with everyday tasks like bathing and preparing meals. Home health care services like Home Instead Senior Care provide these services and also provide caregiver support programs such as free Home Health Aide training. Become a Home Health Aide and help those in need.

The program offers four weeks of training and certification, as well as job placement assistance. The program is free and open to the general public. It is also designed to prepare immigrants for a career in the healthcare industry.