By RACQUEL MUNCY, Skagit Valley Herald, Mount Vernon, Wash. The Tribune Content Agency

CONCRETE - The Concrete Town Council decided Monday to look into hiring a consultant to put together an airport rates and comparison study.

The council will ask Century West Engineering to send a representative to its next meeting.

The town has been considering rate increases for airport leases.

During a previous work session, Councilmember Rob Thomas asked if it was possible to get a third party to help with the process.

A study will cost the town about $8,000, which is less than the town had expected.

Councilmember Jon Gunnarsson and Clerk-Treasurer Andrea Fichter said they were expecting the cost to be about $20,000.

Thomas said it seems like a lot of money, but that he had no basis for comparison as the town has never done such a study.

"I think this is definitely a good way to get the information we're looking for," Mayor Marla Reed said.

Fichter agreed, stating it was especially useful if the town is going to do longer term leases.

While moving forward with the study, the council agreed to extend airport leases for one year while it figures out new lease amounts through the study.

On Monday, the council also passed a 1% increase to town property taxes. This will generate an additional $5,678 for the town.

This year, the town will collect about $567,878 in property taxes.

The town is also conducting an income survey, as it does not believe the census data is correct.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in Concrete in 2022 was about $82,000.

Fichter said if that is correct it would mean that the median income had doubled in the past few years.

"That seems unheard of," she said.

Fichter said town residents will get a letter about the survey, with the first surveys mailed in mid-December. Those who don't respond will be get a second survey in January.

The surveys are being done by a third party and are completely anonymous.

The town needs at least a 50% response rate in order for the survey to count.

"We really need to get a good response," Fichter said.

Joshua Gross with the consultant doing the survey said ideally the town would get an 80% response rate.

He said if the mailings do not garner enough responses the next steps will be phone calls and going door to door.

Fichter said the median household income of $82,000 has made the town ineligible for certain grant programs.