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Copperas Cove officials report strong public opposition to proposed street-maintenance fee after town halls
Summary
City staff said they have held four town halls and heard widespread concerns from businesses and residents about a proposed street-maintenance utility fee; council members said they will continue reviewing options before any decision.
City Manager Ryan Havelot told the City Council on Sept. 16 that city staff have held four town halls and met with local civic groups to discuss a proposed street-maintenance utility and associated fees, and that business attendees “do not, at all, accept, the current proposal.”
The issue drew the largest public turnout of the engagement series; Havelot said the most recent town hall filled the council chambers and lasted until about 9:15 p.m. He summarized recurring feedback: residents understand the city’s street network needs work and that funding is required, but many business owners and residents object to the draft fee structure and the proposed levels.
Why it matters: city staff said the city’s pavement condition index was about 60 in 2022 and has declined because of underinvestment. The utility would create a dedicated revenue stream for maintenance. Council members and staff told the public the fee could be long-term: Havelot said staff told attendees that the fee “would likely last forever as well.”
Officials described two distinct strands of concern from attendees. Business owners objected to how the draft commercial charges were calculated and to a proposed $2,500 cap for large businesses that, according to staff, some other businesses said made the schedule inequitable. Residential commenters said they opposed any new fee even while acknowledging streets need work. Havelot said staff distributed fee estimates by email to businesses for which they had contact information.
Councilmember Rita Hogan, who serves as the council liaison to the street-maintenance committee, thanked staff and residents for participating in the meetings and said the council heard the feedback. “We heard you,” Hogan said during the meeting, and added council members would continue to consider the public’s recommendations.
Staff and council did not take formal action on Sept. 16. Havelot and staff said several additional town-hall meetings remain on the calendar and that the administration will continue refining options and collecting input before returning to council with a formal proposal.
The city’s outreach schedule listed additional residential town halls on Sept. 23 and Sept. 27 and a commercial town hall on Sept. 24; staff also reported outreach to local civic groups and a public-information campaign coordinated with the city’s public-relations team.
