The Saint Albans City Council advanced an ordinance to raise the city's unified service fee by about 20% to a proposed $360 annually for minimum service, sending the measure to a second reading and scheduling public hearings.

Council members said the fee has not been raised since 2009 and that the increase is intended to help the city maintain salaries, equipment and essential services including police, fire, parks and public works. One council member described the increase as "a very minimal increase on our citizens" given rising costs; another noted it would be significant for families on tight budgets.

Council discussion included specific figures mentioned at the meeting: the fee moving from $300 to $360 per year for the minimum service, characterized by one speaker as a 20% increase and equivalent to $75 per quarter increasing to $90. The ordinance text on the agenda also listed proposed income thresholds for senior exemptions, citing $15,000 and $16,000 as poverty-related cutoffs that the council said had been requested to be codified.

Councilors said the city will publish mailers and use social media to inform residents, and that public hearings will be held prior to the next meeting. The council voted to advance the ordinance to second reading; the motion passed on a voice vote with "Aye" and "Motion carries."

Because the change affects billing and exemptions, councilors urged outreach and said residents will have opportunities to address the council at the public hearings.