Bishop City Council Meeting Recap: August 25, 2025

Hey Bishop, here is a breakdown summary of the August 25, 2025, Bishop City Council meeting. With Mayor Karen Kong absent, Mayor Pro Tem Stephen Muchovej led the meeting, which kicked off at 6:01 p.m. Here’s the rundown.

Public Comment: Bishop A-Frame was Still a Hot Topic

Public comment was brief, with a few residents voicing strong support for keeping the A-frame building. It’s a recurring issue that’s clearly on people’s minds, but since it wasn’t on the agenda, the council listened without taking action. Expect this to come up again.

Consent Calendar: Routine Items Pass Smoothly

The council unanimously approved (4-0) the consent calendar, tackling routine business in one motion. This included minutes from July 14 and 28, 2025, a personnel status change report, the 2025-2026 full-time salary schedule, and an updated agreement with Rojas Public Affairs at $2,500 a month. That Rojas deal is notably cheaper than the $3,500–$5,000 small California cities typically pay for lobbying, and it’s already delivered a fire ladder truck earmark and key state meetings. But will this continue?

New Business: Tough Calls and Bright Lights

Two new business items passed 4-0:

Planning Commission Appointments: Mayor Pro Tem Muchovej called this one of the toughest decisions he’s faced, with nine strong applicants vying for spots. The council reappointed Patricia Lew for a four-year term ending August 25, 2029, and appointed Casey Stroud for a new term ending the same date. It was noted, this was one of the first times Bishop didn’t renew an existing commissioner’s term—two incumbents applied, but only Lew was reappointed, marking a shift in the commission’s makeup.
LED Streetlight Conversion: The council authorized the City Administrator to sign a deal with Southern California Edison to replace 69 aging high-pressure sodium streetlights with energy-efficient LEDs under the LS-1 Option E program, which closes October 1, 2025. This upgrade will save about $6,150 annually during the 20-year repayment period, then $7,686 after, while boosting street safety and reducing light pollution. They’re eyeing 2700K or 3000K light temperatures to keep things community-friendly and dark-sky compliant.

Water and Sewer Rate Study:

Big Decisions Loom A lengthy presentation covered the draft Water and Sewer Capital Improvement Plans, outlining $3.97 million in water infrastructure needs through 2030, including pipeline upgrades and well improvements. Three funding options were proposed:

Option 1: $2M loan, partially funding the CIP but leaving $1.08M short.
Option 2: $2M loan, nearly covering the full CIP.
Option 3: All cash, fully funding the CIP while maintaining reserves, but requiring steep rate hikes (up to 55% in 2026). Single-family water bills could rise from $33 to $67.15 by 2029 under Option 1. The council also discussed potentially shifting commercial property charges from a per-toilet, per-chair basis to a square-footage-based system for fairness, though no decisions were finalized. Proposition 218 requires public input, so a hearing notice will be forthcoming.

What’s Next for Bishop

The meeting adjourned with the next session scheduled for September 8, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. From navigating tough commission choices to planning for better lighting and infrastructure, the council is working hard to keep Bishop moving forward. All Residents are encouraged to review the recordings and the Agenda from the Council Meeting on the City of Bishop’s website. As I continue to cover Bishop’s news, I’d love to hear your feedback. You can reach me by email at [email protected] with any comments or questions.