Council to finalize annual fees Monday
At a special meeting called for Monday, City Council will follow through on the process of declaring six assessments on taxpayers to be placed on the Lee County property tax bill for collection by the Lee County Tax Collector.
The meeting, which starts at the usual 4:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall, is a housekeeping formality that must be done each year.
The city intends to finalize the annual fees for the Fire Service Assessment; Stormwater User Fees; Solid Waste Service collection rate for residential, commercial and multi-family dwellings; Lot Mowing Assessment; and the utility assessment rolls.
At a special meeting on Tuesday, council decided to reduce the millage rate while keeping the Fire Service Assessment at the current 64 percent recovery rate that would save taxpayers an additional $150,000.
Stormwater User Fees will go up to $111 for 2018 as the city continues to play catch-up in that area.
Solid Waste collection fees for residential customers has been approved at the not-to-exceed rate of $190.19, which includes an increase by Lee County in its disposal fees and a 1.4 percent increase for Waste Pro operations.
Waste collection fees for commercial properties, which are billed directly by Waste Pro, also includes the county disposal and Waste Pro increases.
Lot Mowing fees approved by council are $65.54 for residences in District 1, $49.64 for Districts 2 and 3, and $49.62 in District 4. Mowing contractors also will continue the policy of trimming around burrowing owl nests throughout the city.
A special meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 7, which is the first mandatory public hearing in the budget approval process. A second special meeting will be held Monday, Sept. 11, at 3 p.m., to be followed by a regular council meeting at 4:30 p.m.