BINGEN — The Bingen City Council opened its regular meeting Dec. 2 with an early swearing-in ceremony of newly elected officials. Kelsey Ramsey, mayor-elect, and Eric Shroder, councilor-elect, were both sworn in early by current Mayor Catherine Kiewit so that grant funds could be used to send them to a training for municipal elected officials. Incumbent Craig Trummel was also sworn in, and all new officers will be seated at the Jan. 6 regular meeting.
After three public hearings and virtually no public comment received, the Bingen City Council passed the 2026 budget. This was followed by the results of the 2024 audit, which showed no notable findings, as is desired. City Administrator Krista Loney detailed some minor corrections to be made.
In other financial news, the Inter-Local Agreement with the City of White Salmon for shared law enforcement was renewed. Bingen’s shared cost is based on the 12-month average of its calls, resulting in 33% of the cost of the services. For next year, Bingen’s cost will go from $426,900 to $543,450, due primarily to the need for a new patrol car. Loney noted that it’s the first time the two cities have a fully staffed law enforcement team in some years.
The city’s holiday decorations will be going up with one minor change. Putting lights on the trees in Daubenspeck Park has been challenging in the past, mainly due to the wet, soft ground of winter, especially after the start of the new year. Instead, the public works team will put up a single lighted tree in the park. Holiday lighting throughout the rest of the town will be installed as usual.
The City of Bingen has relied heavily on grants to fund its numerous infrastructure projects, and Loney quantified the results of that. Over the past four years, Bingen has been awarded 27 of 38 grants applied for, a total of $3.4 million. In other good news, Santa Claus will be in Daubenspeck Park on Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m., following the annual lighted fire truck parade that leaves the fire department at 6 p.m. Bienventi’s will provide pizza in the park, and other community partners will provide cocoa and s’mores.
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