Thursday, October 1, 2026
LEAVENWORTH — Leavenworth City Council members on March 24 grappled with how to manage hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure needs, rising climate and wildfire risk and the ethical use of artificial intelligence as they updated long-range plans and debated staffing and funding priorities.
The wide-ranging council meeting touched on everything from aging water and sewer systems to housing pressures, economic trends and the future of a city-owned golf course, reflecting the complexity of planning for a tourism-driven community facing rapid change.
The council reviewed a draft artificial intelligence policy that would require staff to disclose when tools such as ChatGPT are used in drafting city documents and communications.
Under the proposal, staff could use AI to generate ideas or initial text, but would need to clearly state that the material was “created in part” with an AI tool and reviewed by named staff members. Supporters said the policy is designed to increase transparency and reduce liability by establishing clear expectations for how AI is used in public work.
“As long as I am in control of it and can get public records out of it, I feel okay about that,” city clerk Andrea Fischer said.
“If I use it to get a kernel of an idea, I can say, ‘this was created in part with ChatGPT, and was reviewed by [staff],’” she said.
The draft policy is expected to return at a future council meeting for possible adoption.
Much of the meeting focused on the city’s 2026–2031 Capital Improvement Plan, which outlines nearly $300 million in infrastructure needs over the next six years, including major investments in water, sewer, streets and public facilities.
The plan anticipates a significant spike in spending in 2028, when scheduled projects — led by a proposed downtown parking garage — push annual costs to about $75 million. Staff emphasized that the document is a “living” plan, with timelines and project scopes likely to shift as funding availability and city capacity evolve.
“I’m not saying we have the money. I’m just saying this need has been identified for these projects,” City Engineer Brantley Bain said.
Even so, city staff warned that managing such a high volume of construction activity could strain existing resources. Oversight of engineering work, processing invoices and coordinating bond issuance are all expected to increase substantially.
“This amount of construction is really going to stress the city,” Bain said.
The number of invoices tied to large construction projects will rise dramatically, along with the level of communication required to manage them, he said.
To help address near-term needs, the city plans to hire a temporary construction technician for the upcoming season and is evaluating whether additional long-term staff or outside consultants may be necessary.
Capital planning is also shaping development of the city’s next biennial budget. Finance staff asked departments to finalize project numbers before June so work can begin on the 2027–28 budget cycle.
Council members also received detailed updates on the condition of Leavenworth’s water and wastewater systems, both of which face significant and costly upgrades.
One major project involves replacing a transmission main along Icicle and Leavenworth roads, where decades-old steel pipe has deteriorated significantly. The work is estimated to cost about $5 million.
“There’s probably about a 100-foot section that just literally looks like Swiss cheese,” Bain said.
The city has improved water metering in recent years and plans to explore additional leak-detection technologies, including acoustic tools and camera systems, to better target future repairs.
Despite population growth and increasing tourism, officials said overall water production has remained relatively stable in recent years, reflecting gains from conservation and metering improvements.
“Even with all the growth in the last five years or so, our water consumption has not grown,” Mayor Carl Florea said.
On the wastewater side, the city’s treatment plant is approaching its permit limits for phosphorus and biochemical oxygen demand, particularly during peak tourism periods when hotel and short-term rental laundry use surges.
A near-term “Phase 3” improvement project is already underway, but a larger modernization effort — expected to cost tens of millions of dollars — is anticipated to begin around 2030. The scope of that work will be refined through an update to the city’s General Sewer Plan, currently scheduled for completion this fall.
City leaders are also considering demand-side strategies to reduce strain on the system. Ideas discussed include encouraging hotels to switch to phosphate-free detergents, strengthening towel-reuse programs and discouraging the use of in-sink garbage disposals in residential homes.
“We may not have to do as much work on our treatment facility if hotels are just willing to modify the type of detergent,” Anne Hessburg said.
The city attorney is expected to review what measures the city can legally require or incentivize in those areas.
The council also reviewed draft updates to the city’s comprehensive plan, including new elements focused on utilities, economic development and climate resilience.
A newly required climate resilience chapter identifies wildfire and smoke, flooding, severe storms, heavy rain, extreme temperatures, drought and snowpack loss as key hazards facing the community. The chapter is intended to guide future policy decisions, including development standards and infrastructure investments.
Council members emphasized the need to clearly communicate how wildfire risk intersects with housing density. While higher-density development can change risk dynamics, officials noted that new construction is built to modern fire-resistant standards.
Economic data included in the plan highlight Leavenworth’s heavy reliance on tourism and a growing disconnect between where people work and where they live. Most workers employed in the city commute from outside its boundaries, while only a small percentage of residents both live and work locally.
“Most people employed in the city do not live in the community, and just 4% of employees with jobs live and work in town,” Florea said.
Council members linked those figures to ongoing concerns about housing affordability and workforce stability, both of which remain central issues for the community.
The council also revisited the long-term future of the city-owned golf course, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
Originally donated to the city by the local golf club, the course carries historical significance that officials said must be carefully considered in any discussion about potential changes.
Council members agreed that any exploration of alternative uses or redevelopment must include the current golf club board and membership. They also noted that uncertainty surrounding the course’s future has already affected decision-making, with the club delaying planned investments in facilities such as barns and maintenance buildings.
To ensure transparency, the council agreed to bring the topic to a future study session so it can be discussed openly rather than through speculation.
The meeting also included discussion of community grants and the city’s overall fiscal outlook.
Leavenworth’s general grant fund is currently set at $50,000 annually, supplemented by lodging tax revenues. In past years, not all available funds were distributed, but a more proactive outreach and application process has resulted in full allocation during the current cycle.
Some council members expressed interest in increasing the size of the grant pool, citing strong revenue performance.
City officials also received a sobering update on snowpack levels and wildfire risk heading into the warmer months. Snowpack at nearby monitoring sites is well below normal, with one key location effectively at zero percent of average for this time of year. Forecasts do not show a clear reversal of the trend toward more intense fire seasons.
“The outlook right now is not great for fire season,” Florea said. “We’ll try to remain optimistic, but we have to be honest about what we’re seeing.”
Despite the concerning outlook, officials noted that emergency call volume this winter has been lower than the previous year, a trend attributed in part to reduced winter recreation activity and fewer related accidents.
As Leavenworth moves forward with its long-range planning efforts, city leaders said balancing infrastructure demands, environmental risks and community needs will remain an ongoing challenge.
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