Effective January 1, 2026, the Water Department will increase water billing rates in an effort to keep pace with record inflation and the escalating costs of maintaining our water-supply infrastructure. The Council has made an extensive effort to maintain a balance between reasonable pricing and ensuring that we have adequate funding to continue to provide all residents of Beaux Arts Village with reliable and safe water service going forward.

The new bi-monthly base rate will be $135 and will continue to include 500 cf of water usage per billing cycle. Usage rates beyond 500 cf will remain unchanged – billed at $1.50 per 100 cf (or portion thereof). Customers will see these new rates on their March 1st bills for water usage in January and February.

Beaux Arts water customers enjoy substantially lower rates when compared to our neighbors in Bellevue and Mercer Island. This new pricing continues this trend and is well below the average cost of the seven water districts we compared our prices with. Bellevue and Mercer Island have also scheduled water-rate increase for years to come and/or surcharges on water usage during summer.

The Council held their Regular Meeting on December 9, 2025 to discuss/act on the following:

• Water Supt Agreement: Authorized the mayor to execute an agreement with Good Boy Excavating and Plumbing to perform the duties of Water Superintendent, replacing Roger Lillejord, who is retiring.
• 2025 Budget: Held a public hearing to amend the 2025 budget to accommodate the late billing of charges from 2024. (Ord. No. 485)
• 2026 Budget: Adopted the final 2026 Budget (Ord. No. 486).
• Critical Areas Ordinance: Held a public hearing on and completed their review of the proposed Critical Areas Ordinance. Passed the proposed ordinance pending final legal review by the Town Attorney. (Subsequent advice from the Town Attorney holds that Ord. No. 487 should be discussed and acted on at another Council meeting so that Council can review the written ordinance in its final state. Please see note about the Special Council Meeting on December 30, 2025 below.)
• KC Parks Levy: Adopted Resolution No. 343 authorizing the mayor to execute the Parks Levy extension. This allows the Town to continue receiving a portion of the voter-approved Parks Levy.
• ROW Maintenance Agreement: Authorized the mayor to execute an agreement with Marc’s Lawn Service for right-of-way maintenance.

The Council held a Special Meeting on December 30, 2025 to revisit and act on Ordinance No. 487 adopting Critical Areas Regulations as advised by the Town Attorney. At this special meeting, the Council voted to enact this ordinance

The next regular Council meeting is scheduled for January 13th at Councilmember Dix’ house. At that meeting, the Council hopes to review bids received by the City of Bellevue for work to replace the portion of their water main that runs through Beaux Arts along the Arterial. The Water Department has capital work that piggie-backs on Bellevue’s project, giving the Town a project price advantage.