225.010 Definition of “city.”
As used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise, “city” means any incorporated city or town.
Oregon Revised Statutes
Chapter 225 — Municipal Utilities
41 sections225.020 Ownership and operation of utilities by city within and without city limits
When the power to do so is conferred by or contained in its charter or act of incorporation, any city may build, own, operate and maintain waterworks, water systems, railways and railroads, electric light and power plants, within and without its boundaries for the benefit and use of its inhabitants and for profit. To that end it may: Acquire water systems a…
225.030 Utility may provide services within or without city limits
Any city owning, controlling or operating a system of waterworks or electric light and power system for supplying water or electricity for its inhabitants and for general municipal purposes, and any person controlling or operating any water system or electric light and power system under contract, lease or private ownership, may sell, supply and dispose of w…
225.040 Validation of prior municipal contracts
All contracts or agreements made prior to May 20, 1911, and in effect as of that date, for sale and disposal of water or electricity by any city or person operating, controlling or owning water or electric light and power systems, to any person within or without the limits of the city in which the system is operated, are ratified and declared legal and valid…
225.050 Joint construction, ownership and operation of waterworks; financing
Any or all cities may construct, own or operate jointly, in such proportion as they may agree, waterworks and water pipelines, water rights and water. For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, the cities may: Purchase, own, hold, appropriate and condemn land, rights of way, water or water rights in their own names or in the name of a joint or oth…
225.060 Several or joint ownership, operation and financing of municipal utilities in another state
Whenever authorized by their charter or incorporation law, cities and other municipal corporations may, either severally or in joint agreement, purchase, own, operate and maintain any works in an adjoining state necessary or pertinent to the furnishing of water supply or electric power, or both, for the benefit and use of their inhabitants and for profit, in…
225.070 Use of surplus city waters for federal military purposes
The governing body of any city may contract with and permit the United States of America to use for military purposes within or without the boundaries of such city the surplus waters thereof and such use shall be deemed to be for municipal purposes.
225.080 Financing costs of municipal waterworks or water system; benefit assessments
In order to finance the cost of installing any improvement for waterworks or water systems authorized by ORS 225.020, a city council may provide for and make a local assessment for benefits, for all or part of the cost of such construction, against any and all property whether within or without the city or partially within or partially without the city and e…
225.085 Klamath Cogeneration Project; service contracts; prohibited transactions
Notwithstanding any other law, the City of Klamath Falls, acting solely in connection with the ownership and operation of the Klamath Cogeneration Project, may enter into transactions with other persons or entities for the production, supply or delivery of electricity or fuel on an economic, dependable and cost-effective basis, including financial products c…
225.087 Municipal water and wastewater service charges imposed by certain cities
This section applies to the City of Bandon, the City of North Bend and the City of Reedsport. Notwithstanding any provision of the city’s charter or code to the contrary, fees, rates or any other charges imposed for municipal water and wastewater services provided by the city may be set by a majority vote of the governing body of the city. Note: 225.087 wa…
225.110 Ownership and operation of telephone system by city within or without city limits
When authorized by its charter or act of incorporation, a city may purchase, build, own, operate and maintain telephone or telegraph systems within or without its boundaries, for the benefit and use of its inhabitants at cost or for profit.
225.120 Interconnections; cooperation with state
For the purposes of ORS 225.110, a city may interconnect by agreement or otherwise with other public or private telephone systems and conduct both a local and long distance telephone business or it may cooperate with the state at any time that the state undertakes to handle the long distance telephone service for its cities, telephone districts or both.
225.130 Right to acquire property
For any of the purposes of ORS 225.110 and 225.120, a city may acquire rights of way, easements and real property within or without its boundaries.
225.140 Condemnation of private property for telephone system
Except as provided in ORS 225.150 and 225.160, in exercising the powers granted by ORS 225.110 to 225.130, a city may bring actions for condemnation or taking of any private property necessary for such public use, in the manner provided or permitted by law for private corporations, notwithstanding that the property may already be devoted to a public use.
225.150 Compensation
The city shall pay compensation by deposit in court of an order drawn on the city treasurer for the amount of compensation fixed by the court in the condemnation proceeding.
225.160 Alternate condemnation proceeding
In lieu of proceeding under ORS 225.140, a city may elect to proceed with condemnation in the manner provided by law for condemnation of land for highway or other purposes by this state. MUNICIPAL LIGHT AND POWER SYSTEM
225.210 Compliance with rate statutes
Each city which owns and operates an electric light and power system or which distributes electric energy for hire, shall charge such rates therefor as meet the requirements of ORS 225.220 to 225.300.
225.220 Enforcement of statutory requirements
The requirements of ORS 225.210 to 225.300 shall be enforced and observed by that officer who by the charter is charged with the administration of any electric light and power plant or distributing system owned or operated by the city. As used in this section, “officer” includes board or other public authority of the city.
225.230 Rates set in accordance with estimates of annual expenses
The officer referred to in ORS 225.220 shall annually before January 1, make a written estimate of the probable expense of maintaining and conducting the electric light plant or distributing system during the next ensuing year, including the cost of any contemplated alterations, improvements, additions or extensions, together with the probable amount necessa…
225.240 Sole authority to set rates
The officer referred to in ORS 225.220 shall be the sole judge of what rates or charges shall be exacted for the electric current furnished for use of street lighting and other public purposes for the city.
225.250 Application of earnings
The earnings of the electric plant or distributing system shall be applied and used in payment of warrants and interest thereon issued in connection with operation of any such plant or system, and also in payment for alterations, improvements, additions or extensions and for redemption and retirement of outstanding bonds, together with interest thereon, and …
225.260 Use of proceeds of bond issues
The proceeds of bond issues issued after June 6, 1931, by authority of charter provisions of the city for the purpose of creating, acquiring, building, improving, enlarging, altering or repairing the plant or system referred to by ORS 225.210 shall be used exclusively for the purposes for which such bonds were authorized and issued.
225.270 Use of surplus revenue
When any city which owns or operates a municipal electric power plant or system or distributing system, has paid principal and interest to date on all indebtedness incurred in connection therewith, and has created and accumulated an adequate depreciation and replacement reserve in the judgment of the officer having control of such plant or system, the city s…
225.280 Warrants on future income; limitations; retirement
When authorized by the city charter, the officer referred to in ORS 225.220 as having charge of the electric plant or distributing system may execute its warrants upon the city treasurer, drawn against the funds created by and for the benefit of such plant or system in excess of the current cash on hand but not in an amount exceeding one-half of the estimate…
225.290 Right to acquire use of unappropriated state waters
Any city which is authorized by its charter or by law to construct, acquire, maintain or operate an electric generating plant or distributing system may acquire in its own name the right to use the unappropriated waters of this state in accordance with laws of this state.
225.300 Filing for use of unappropriated state waters; limitations; determination of reasonable requirements
Any filing made by any city upon the unappropriated waters of this state for use in the future development of a hydroelectric plant by such city shall be reserved to such city and shall not be subject to appropriation by any other person, municipality or corporation unless it is judicially determined that the filing exceeds the reasonable present and future …
225.310 Definitions for ORS 225.310 to 225.400
As used in ORS 225.310 to 225.400, unless the context requires otherwise, “facilities” means a water supply for irrigation and for fire protection of property within the city together with a distribution system therefor, reservoirs, pumps, mains, stations, with all appurtenances necessary, useful or convenient for the treatment, storage and distribution of w…
225.320 Ownership and operation of irrigation and fire protection facilities by city within or without city limits
Any city may own, acquire, construct, equip, operate and maintain within or without its statutory or corporate limits, in whole or in part, facilities for irrigation and fire protection.
225.330 Acquisition of property for facilities
For the purposes of ORS 225.320, the city may acquire by gift, grant, purchase or condemnation necessary lands and rights of way within or without its statutory or corporate limits. For the purpose of acquiring property under subsection (1) of this section, the city may invoke and shall have the rights, powers and privileges granted public corporations by l…
225.340 Establishing rates
The city governing body may establish just and equitable rates or charges to be paid for the use of the irrigation and fire protection facilities by each person, firm or corporation whose premises are served thereby, or upon subsequent service thereto.
225.350 Recovery of service charges
If the service charges established under ORS 225.340 are not paid when due, the amounts thereof, together with such penalties, interests and costs as may be provided by the city governing body, may be recovered in an action at law.
225.360 Approval, issuance, payment of bonds
For the purposes of ORS 225.320, the city governing body may, after referring the question of acquiring and constructing the facilities to a vote of the electors of the city and after approval thereof by a majority of the electors, authorize the issuance of and cause to be issued bonds of the city for such purposes, either general obligation, limited obligat…
225.370 Terms of bonds
The city governing body may determine the maturities and tenor of bonds issued under ORS 225.360. However, the bonds shall be serial in character and in accordance with any provisions of law or charter. The bonds shall: Be payable in not to exceed 30 years from the date of issuance thereof. Be sold at a price to net the city not less than the par value the…
225.380 Application of debt limitations
The amount of any self-liquidating bonds issued under ORS 225.360 shall not be within any limitation of indebtedness fixed by law or charter, but shall be in addition to the amount of the bonds within the limitation. However, the aggregate of the bonds, after deducting sinking funds applicable to payment of principal of the bonds, shall not exceed two and on…
225.390 Preparation and examination of plans
Before calling any election for the purposes set forth in ORS 225.360, the city governing body shall cause to be prepared plans, specifications and estimates of costs of any proposed facilities to be voted upon, which may be examined by any elector of the city.
225.400 Scope of municipal authority
The authority given by ORS 225.310 to 225.390 shall be in addition to and not in derogation of any power existing in any city under any constitutional, statutory or charter provisions. MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP OF POWER FACILITIES
225.450 Definitions for ORS 225.450 to 225.490
As used in ORS 225.450 to 225.490, unless the context requires otherwise: “City” means a city organized under the law of California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington or Wyoming and owning and operating an electric light and power system. “Common facilities” means any works and facilities necessary or incidental to the generation, transm…
225.460 Policy
The Legislative Assembly finds and declares it to be in the public interest and for a public purpose that cities, districts, electric cooperatives and electric utility companies participate as authorized in ORS 225.450 to 225.490 jointly and with other persons to: Achieve economies of scale in the generation of electricity; Meet the future power needs of t…
225.470 Authority of city to acquire interest in power facilities
In addition to the powers otherwise conferred on cities of this state, a city that owns or operates an electric light and power system, or a city that owns or operates an electric cogeneration facility as defined in ORS 758.505, may plan, finance, construct, acquire, operate, own and maintain an undivided interest in common facilities within or without the s…
225.480 City liability; application of moneys; use of eminent domain prohibited
In carrying out the powers granted in ORS 225.470, a city of this state shall be liable only for its own acts with regard to the planning, financing, construction, acquisition, operation, ownership or maintenance of common facilities. No moneys or other contributions supplied by a city of this state for the planning, financing, construction, acquisition, ope…
225.490 Use of municipal money or property; revenue bonds
Any city of this state participating in common facilities under ORS 225.450 to 225.490 may furnish money and provide property, both real and personal, and to the extent and in the manner provided by its charter issue and notwithstanding any other provision of law, sell, either at public or privately negotiated sale, revenue bonds pledging revenues of its ele…