Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget And Revenue topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Port Authority approves bills payment; board discusses slip rent increases and credit-card surcharge
Summary
The Michigan City Port Authority approved payment of the presented bills totaling $115,077.96, and directors discussed revenue measures for next year including a proposed 6% slip-rent increase and taking up a proposed 3.5% credit-card surcharge for further action.
The Michigan City Port Authority voted to approve payment of the bills presented at the Sept. 22 meeting and discussed a set of revenue proposals to offset rising operating costs.
Treasurer/finance presenter (board member identified in the meeting as the person leading the bills discussion) outlined invoices that included fuel, sanitation, legal charges, security, and Republic Services trash charges. He said the bills and EFTs totaled "a 115,000, and $77.96" and moved that the board approve payment. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
During the budget update, board members and staff discussed increased costs for security, weed control of the basin (which a board member estimated may be about $40,000 for the year), and lawn service. The board discussed revenue measures under consideration for the coming year: a proposed 6% increase in slip rental rates and revisiting winter storage and service rates. The board also moved to take a previously tabled discussion about charging for credit-card use off the table and to advance review of a possible fee. One board member summarized a staff proposal: "I'm proposing that, that we charge 3 and a half percent to, for, use use of a credit card, particularly with high impact areas are for fuel dock and for slip rentals." The board discussed the plan to return with formal proposals; no final rate ordinance or fee schedule was adopted at the meeting.
Why it matters: directors said unbudgeted and increasing expenses — including security and basin weed control — are pushing the authority to seek additional revenue. The board projected the package of proposed revenue measures could add substantial funds in the next year; a staff presenter said the measures could generate "at least $175,000 extra over and above what we're bringing in this year," though the board did not provide supporting documentation at the meeting.
The board did not adopt rate or fee changes at this meeting; it voted to place the credit-card-fee discussion back on the active agenda for formal consideration and asked staff to prepare official proposals for future action.
