Possible Changes to Water/Sewer Rates, Chamber Updates, & More: Bishop City Council Meeting – September 22, 2025

By: Tyler Beadle, Sierra Wave Media Writer

The Bishop City Council meeting kicked off at 6:02 p.m. on September 22, 2025, with Mayor Karen Kong presiding over a slim quorum of three—herself, Councilmember Jose Garcia, and Councilmember Karen Schwartz—after the absence of Mayor Pro Tem Stephen Muchovej and Councilmember Dennis Freundt. The evening began with a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance, setting a reflective tone.
Public comments ignited early interest, focusing on the historic A-Frame Visitors Center. Jennifer Beaudean urged its addition to a future agenda for repair discussions, while Noel Guacheno shared a 1970 Mono Herald article honoring building inspector Clyde Coons for his volunteer-led construction. The article dated Nov 26, 1970, from the Mono Herald. “Clyde Coons, City of Bishop building inspector, was honored Friday night, November 20, at the Bishop Chamber of Commerce membership meeting.” Which goes on to say he played a crucial role in building the A-frame and gathered many volunteers to help, “his work was done on his own time, and he usually worked for several hours before reporting at 8 a.m. for his job as building inspector, then worked more hours in the evening.” This sparked a wave of support for preserving the structure, with Kong later committing to list it as a future agenda item—a move sure to keep A-Frame advocates engaged.

Presentations offered a rich tapestry of updates. With a Broadband update, including NTIA BEAD and CPUC FFA grants, also surfaced, promising long-term connectivity gains—check ConnectedEasternSierra.net for more. The Fire Chief’s report revealed aging equipment with failing ratings, signaling a need for future investment—details are online post-meetings. The Police Chief shared a good report, highlighting that the Police Academy will start on October 2nd. This is a citizen’s academy which will meet every Thursday; They will learn about the functions of the police, courts, and more. I was accepted to the academy, and I will be reporting and giving a scoop on each class. Other city department head reports were normal. I encourage all people to view the reports on the City of Bishops’ website. You can find these attached to the agenda minutes. Next was Bishop Chamber of Commerce President Robert Sharp, who shared the recent escrow closure on a new building, along with other Chamber updates. I will be meeting with Robert in the coming weeks for an interview to discuss more about the Chamber of Commerce, so stay tuned for that. Northern Inyo Healthcare District’s CEO, Christian Wallis, four months into his post-retirement role, delivered an optimistic quarterly report, contrasting with Southern Inyo Healthcare District’s looming bankruptcy meeting on September 23—stay tuned for that coverage.

The consent calendar passed 3-0, approving routine updates like the Police Sergeant job description, with full details in the agenda on the City’s website. The night’s heavyweight was the New Business in Agenda Item 11.A: proposed water and sewer rate adjustments. Serving 1,200 connections, the city faces expiring 2018 rates, prompting a 2026 overhaul to fund $4 million in water and $2.8 million in sewer infrastructure. The new structure simplifies 25 customer classes into residential (single-family, multifamily, senior discounts) and commercial (low, medium, high intensity) categories. Water rates will use Inyo County Assessors’ data for square footage, scaled to industry-standard consumption, while sewer rates factor in flow and pollutant strength, aligning with Proposition 218. Notable shifts include a 2,261% irrigation rate hike from $9.90 to $233.77 per acre, impacting churches, schools, and even possibly the Garden Center. Single-family water bills rise from $33 to $48.13, and sewer from $42 to $45.17 by July 2026, with commercial impacts varying—low-use offices may save, while high-use restaurants or large office spaces with tons of square footage may face significant increases. Public reaction was spirited: James Hoover opposed the hikes, citing his fixed income; Gary, the landlord, worried about rent pressures and having to raise the rent on tenants who are on a fixed income, and Garcia questioned the hospital’s $400 monthly water bill (based on 25 beds at $12.38 each), believing it should be more. Schwartz saw the $30 single-family increase as manageable for some, but Kong and others debated its fairness, wondering if businesses would shoulder more. Tensions peaked when Gary called Schwartz’s comment insensitive, citing a tenant without a TV. Near the end, nothing was formally voted on by the council, but they did request that the figures be looked at and revised with their comments in mind.

Council reports were concise, with Garcia highlighting last weekend’s Hispanic Heritage event. The meeting adjourned at 8:41 p.m., with the next session on October 13th canceled. The city council meetings will resume on October 27th, 2025. Will rate adjustments balance equity and necessity? Can the A-Frame’s legacy endure? The answers await in future sessions—don’t miss out! I encourage everyone to view the full video and agenda on the City of Bishop website. What are your thoughts on these developments? Let’s keep talking! Reach out to me at [email protected] for further discussion, comments, or feedback.