A citizen raised concerns about rate increases for Centralia City Light customers, which he said should instead be paid by the Port of Centralia
Paul Crowner spoke during the public comment portion of the Centralia City Council meeting on Tuesday night, stating the capital improvements cited for some of the increases should be the port’s responsibility.
M.L. Norton, general manager of Centralia City Light, earlier told The Chronicle the rate increases approved by the city council last year are in part going to fund capital improvement projects such as a new substation near the south end of Centralia which is in conjunction with the Centralia Station project.
Port of Centralia commissioners recently approved a real estate and purchase agreement with Powell Investment Co. LLC for approximately 28 acres of property within the boundary lines of Centralia Station, which will likely house Fred Meyer as an anchor tenant.
Centralia Station is a 43-acre development near the Mellen Street interchange that would also include restaurants, auxiliary shops, and other businesses.
Norton also said another substation near the port may need updating to keep up with future expansion.
“I feel the port should pay its way if they want capital improvements that directly benefit them, not city light customers,” Crowner said.
He also expressed concerns about downtown businesses that may suffer once the stores at Centralia Station open.
“I’m wondering at what point do we develop the south end at the expense of the downtown core,” Crowner said, stating the addition of more retailers could be detrimental to the vital active core of downtown.
He said the city should take over the project to assure it is created to Centralia’s benefit. He referenced a statement from City Manager Rob Hill who said the city is not actively involved in the planning and design phase, although the council has remained supportive of the project and “the prospective revitalization of the Mellen Street Gateway,” which includes work to ensure the city’s utilities have the capacity to support those at Centralia Station.
Crowner said he hoped taxpayers would not have to pay additional fees for something that could turn out to be an “empty promise.”
The council, for the most part, did not comment on the recent announcement that Fred Meyer is eyed as the anchor tenant. The exception was John Elmore, who said it was nice to see the city manager’s statement garnering support.
Elmore said the economic growth at Centralia Station is vital to the city’s sustainability.
“A lot of people are anticipating this eagerly,” he said.
