BAXTER-The Baxter City Council recently implemented a utility service franchise fee to help pay for street maintenance.
The fee starts Sept. 1.
Earlier this month, the council voted to implement the fees. The council went to imposing the franchise fee on public utilities companies providing energy services in the city to help cover the costs of its new street management program. The maintenance program is expected to cost $529,600 during a 10-year period, which the city reported was significantly higher than budget for street maintenance, hence the funding dilemma. The fee is an account-based fee on each premise.
Yearly impact for customers through the franchise fee: resident-$60, small commercial-$240.
Monthly demand is $3 for residential, $13 for commercial, $52 for demand and $138 for large power customers.
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In other business, the council:
Appointed Nena Newman to the finance specialist position and authorized filling the utility billing specialist position.
Approved a $3,500 purchase of a night vision system using money from the drug forfeiture fund.
Approved a public works landscape bins project for $40,811. The project was awarded to Baratto Brothers.
Accepted the bid for the 2016 Fairview Road improvement project and adopted the assessments.
Ordered bids for the Golf Course Drive street project. The project is expected to take eight weeks to complete. An assessment hearing is planned July 7. Anticipated total cost is $1.3 million. A decision regarding assessments and awarding a bid may be before the council on July 19.
Heard a step-three grievance for a police officer regarding overtime pay would be tabled until a future date. Andrew Masterman, Law Enforcement Labor Services union agent, said he learned some information at the last minute leading to the request. In information presented to the city, Masterman reported his members were not satisfied with the city's position on payment of overtime occurring on a designated holiday. A step-three grievance is one that takes the matter to the city council after going by supervisors first. A step-four would mean appealing the matter to arbitration.
Ordered the preparation of a report on the North Inglewood Drive utility improvement project.
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Heard from Mayor Darrel Olson who thanked the city staff for work getting the cemetery ready for Memorial Day. Olson also praised Police Chief Jim Exsted for his work and presentation during a seminar on sex-trafficking.
RENEE RICHARDSON, associate editor, may be reached at 218-855-5852 or renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com . Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Dispatchbizbuzz .
