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Council discusses ordinance to codify sewer rec-charge compliance; penalties would start as one-day fine
Summary
Council members discussed Ordinance 15-03, an amendment to Chapter 290 of the municipal code to formalize notices and enforcement for businesses failing to file required sewer/rec-charge forms; council described the change as aiming for compliance rather than punishment and noted a one-day fine of $1.24 as the typical enforcement amount.
Muskego City Common Council on April 8 discussed Ordinance 15-03, a proposed amendment to Chapter 290 of the municipal code that would codify the city’s notice and enforcement process for businesses that fail to submit required sewer/rec-charge forms.
Council members described the ordinance as primarily intended to secure compliance from nonfiling businesses rather than to impose harsh penalties. The ordinance would allow letters and notices to be sent, and—if necessary—move to citation and court enforcement. The council said that the common enforcement outcome when a business appears in court is to require compliance and typically assess a one-day fine.
At the meeting a one-day fine amount was identified as $1.24. The sponsor said the intent is to give businesses repeated opportunities to comply before assessing fines and that, historically, staff have sometimes needed to pursue repeated contact, including in-person visits, to get forms completed.
Council members asked staff to provide updated follow-up data before the ordinance’s second reading; the sponsor offered to report back on invoices and the list of noncompliant businesses. No formal vote on Ordinance 15-03 was taken at the April 8 meeting; the item was left for second reading and further staff follow-up.
