Euless council approves drainage fee increase, updates to multiple city fees, Atmos settlement and two municipal judge reappointments

The City of Euless City Council on Aug. 18 approved several items intended to fund infrastructure and finalize routine city business, including an increase to the storm drainage fee, changes to a wide range of municipal fees, a negotiated rate settlement with Atmos Energy Mid-Tex, and the reappointment of two municipal court associate judges.

City staff presented the storm drainage proposal as part of a public hearing on an ordinance to revise Chapter 30, Section 30-41 (drainage charges). Miss Jewell, a city staff member presenting the item, said the drainage system was established in 1990 to prevent street flooding and protect life and property and that rates are based on impervious acres. She described the proposed increase as a 50-cent-per-residential-customer rise and a $40 charge per impervious acre for commercial customers, and said the increases would help fund curb-and-gutter infrastructure projects done in conjunction with the annual street improvement program. Jewell said the residential average impervious area used for billing is 0.22 acres per lot and that the proposed rates would remain below neighboring communities’ averages. The council received no public comments during the hearing and approved the ordinance on a roll call vote.

Council members also approved a comprehensive ordinance amending multiple fee sections in Chapter 30 of the city code, covering categories that…