On Monday, Nov. 17, members of the Toledo City Council met for their second regular monthly meeting, approving the city’s 2026 property tax levy and the city’s draft budget after holding public hearings.
Following the approval of a Chehalis Tribal Jail contract during the council’s first meeting earlier this month, councilors approved an amended contract renewal with the Lewis County Jail as a contingency plan if the Chehalis Tribal Jail runs out of room.
Additionally, it was announced the city’s website is currently being redesigned by CivicPlus as a part of the company’s existing contract with the City of Toledo. Also discussed was a Toledo Parks Board proposal to plant new trees at Kemp Olson Memorial Park and RV Campground.
During the meeting, Lewis County Solid Waste Manager Rocky Lyon presented the draft of the county’s new Comprehensive Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan 2025-2030, which was also on the council’s agenda to approve.
Approval of the plan, which mostly included changes required by new state laws along with growth plans, was tabled, as councilors requested a red-lined copy of the old plan along with the new draft to review before approval. Lyon told them he would send them the documents before the next meeting.
“If anybody is interested in trash talk — solid waste — we have four vacancies on our Solid Waste Advisory Committee,” Lyon added.
The Lewis County Solid Waste Advisory Committee meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m. inside the Lewis County Public Works building, located at 57 W. Main St. in Chehalis.
For more information, including how to apply to be on the committee, email Lyons at rocky.lyon@lewiscountywa.gov or visit the Solid Waste Advisory Committee’s website at https://tinyurl.com/4n6pe8tk.
Budget and property tax levy
As for Toledo’s 2026 draft budget available on the city’s website, preliminary revenues next year were estimated at $1,427,110, with expenditures expected to total $1,279,788.81.
Concerning the city’s 2026 property tax levy, councilors approved keeping the 2026 levy rate equal to 2025’s and banking their capacity to raise it 1% annually — setting the property tax levy lid in Toledo at $77,823.84 once again.
During the levy’s public hearing, Toledo Mayor Cherie Devore explained that, this year, they managed to avoid lifting the levy lid, and therefore property tax rates. But with ongoing inflation continuing to drive up the cost of expenses, the city will eventually be forced to raise the lid or consider further cutting city services.
“It will eventually happen where we’re going to have to, but we’re trying to hold off on that while keeping the city in the black as long as we can,” Devore said.
Toledo Mayor Pro Tem Eric Hayes added should the proposed Cowlitz Meadows housing development finally come to fruition, it could include over 90 homes, meaning more taxpayers to spread out the property tax levy burden, lowering everyone’s actual rate per $1,000 of assessed property value.
First proposed in 2023 as a 99-lot subdivision with 98 single-family homes, a public park and stormwater pond, the proposed Cowlitz Meadows development will be located on a 36.62-acre parcel at the intersection of Plomondon and Toledo-Vader roads. Developers have been working with the Toledo Planning Commission to get design plans finalized and approved over the past year.
After the public hearing, councilors unanimously approved the 2026 property tax levy.
Lewis County Jail contract
During the council’s first meeting earlier this month, it approved a new contract with the Chehalis Tribal Jail.
A night’s stay at the Chehalis Tribal Jail costs the city $85, with an additional $20 booking fee, according to the contract in the council’s agenda report. That was less expensive than the Lewis County Jail rate.
However, during Monday’s meeting, the council decided to renew an amended contract for use of the county jail, with the new rate for the county jail now set at $114.06 for every calendar day someone is locked up there.
Along with being a backup jail in case the Chehalis Tribal Jail runs out of room, Toledo City Clerk-Treasurer Rachel Campbell said inmates expecting short-term lockups will be sent to the county jail.
“It’s gotta be ordered by the judge,” Campbell added.
The council unanimously approved the contract renewal. The Chehalis City Council also recently approved an agreement to send inmates to Chehalis Tribal Jail, following a similar decision by the City of Centralia several years ago.
New city website and planting trees
With the City of Toledo already contracting with CivicPlus, the company is currently working on redoing the city’s website to make it easier to navigate and to sign up for specific department notifications.
“We did get a discount on this because (CivicPlus) is already doing our quarterly (code updates). They jump in and make sure everything is updated on our end,” Campbell said. “This just makes it easier. They’re taking care of everything.”
Campbell added the new website will also be compliant with federal Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, which the city was required to abide by no later than 2027. CivicPlus recently redesigned the website for the City of Napavine.
Also discussed were plans to be presented to the Toledo Parks Board from a local resident hoping to plant new trees at Kemp Olson Memorial Park.
Currently, the proposal has one poplar tree, several cedar trees, two big-leaf maples and six or seven laceleaf maples to be planted along the border of the park’s northwest corner and near the park’s entrance on Oak and South Fifth streets.
