A Washington resident is getting help from the city when it comes to financing part of the cost for installing stormwater drainage pipes on that resident’s property.

During its meeting last week, the City Council authorized the city to finance about $3,290 in material construction costs related to pipe installation at a rate of 10 percent.

“Generally speaking, the way it’s always been done in the past is the property owner purchases the pipe, the city installs the pipe, provides the labor and equipment at no charge. That’s the way it works. That’s what our City Code says,” said Frankie Buck, the city’s director of public works. “This individual has made a request through the city manager’s office for us to finance that work.”

In a July 19 memorandum to the mayor and council members, Buck wrote, “I feel the City will need to set an interest rate with a term not to exceed three to five years. … By allowing City financing of these specific projects this may allow the homeowner flexibility improving their property.” Buck recommended the city’s chief financing officer set the interest rate and term based on current loan-market prices.

The city seldom receives such requests, Buck said.

The resident, according to loan terms, would pay be the city on a monthly basis. City Manager Bobby Roberson said the monthly payment amount would be added to the resident’s monthly utility bill.

“My suggestion is we do it just like we do annexation. We annex property and (add) improvements. We finance those. My concern is the 20-percent administrative fee, and you’re going to pop an interest rate on top of that,” Councilman Doug Mercer said. The councilman expressed concern with the loan amount including an administrative fee of $580, saying that amount is too high. Roberson said that proposed fee was just a recommendation included in the payback schedule, which the council could modify.

“I think the most important thing is that we need to find a way to help people put improvements to the property at a reasonable cost. Currently, we don’t have that,” Roberson said.

Mercer replied, “I think the idea is great. The numbers just need to be tweaked.”

Similar requests will be handled on a case-by-case basis, the council decided.