Moab, Utah and Snoqualmie, Washington City Councils Grapple with Drought Rules and Revenue Gaps

The Moab City Council scheduled a July 28 meeting to consider a mandatory drought water restriction ordinance that would ban above‑ground sprinkler irrigation between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., alongside a public hearing on a mid‑year budget amendment for a $1.2 million recreation center retrofit. The ordinance is aimed at conserving water after the second‑driest year on record and a weak snowpack, while a separate resolution would keep the option to declare a water shortage and activate stricter conservation measures.

In Snoqualmie, Washington, Mayor Jim Mayhew briefed the council on a persistent decline in municipal revenue, now down about 13 % since 2019, and rising costs that outpace inflation. He warned that without a property‑tax levy increase—requiring voter approval for a rise of more than 1 % in 2027—the city would need to cut services. The revenue shortfall is exacerbated by the loss of a police‑service contract with North Bend, which eliminated roughly $700,000 in funding and $1.2 million in anticipated annual revenue.