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Council adopts master fee schedule; new water meter tampering policy to bill owner for repair costs
Summary
Plainview approved ordinance changes to the master fee schedule that include a new approach to water meter tampering charges, microchip and animal-control fees, landfill tire fees and rental deposit adjustments.
Plainview — The Plainview City Council on Sept. 23 adopted an ordinance revising the city's master fee schedule and utility rates, adding and adjusting multiple fees and establishing a policy to bill property owners for the cost to repair or replace damaged water meters.
The second-reading ordinance (37 80) includes a new $10 microchip fee for animals, a $50 fee for destruction of a dangerous dog, and an increase in the overnight shipping fee for rabies testing from $50 to $200, as presented by city staff. The ordinance also removes 4- and 8-cubic-yard solid-waste fee categories, leaving a 3-cubic-yard option at $34.41.
For water meters, staff proposed and council adopted a tampering or damage policy under which the city will bill the owner for the actual cost to repair or make the meter operable. Staff explained that because meters fail or are damaged in a variety of ways, a single fixed fee is not yet set; instead, costs will be charged based on what the repair or replacement requires. Councilmembers discussed the possibility of future tiered or escalating fees for repeat offenders.
Staff reported that unplugging incidents occur between 4 and 10 each time crews perform a meter recycle, which could equate to roughly 12 to 30 occurrences per month. Staff also said there were about 20 instances of intentional damaging or cutting currently under repair, out of roughly 7,000 meters in the system.
Other changes in the ordinance include converting tire charges at the sanitary landfill from weight-based fees to categorical pricing (regular tires, tires on rim, truck tires, tractor tires), increasing the shelter-house damage and cleanup deposit from $200 to $300, adding a $50 electrical-panel key deposit and establishing a $350 fee for lost electrical keys to account for rekeying costs.
Councilmember House moved to adopt ordinance 37 80 on second reading; Councilmember Dickerson seconded. The roll-call vote was unanimous.
