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Council approves comprehensive fee schedule, multi‑year water rate plan and council salaries
Summary
The McCall City Council approved three measures after staff presentations and public hearings: Resolution 25-17 updating the city’s comprehensive fee schedule; Resolution 25-18 adopting water rates and connection fees for FY26–29; and Ordinance 10-30 setting council and mayor salaries for calendar year 2026.
The McCall City Council approved three separate measures after public hearings and brief staff presentations: Resolution 25-17 (comprehensive fee schedule), Resolution 25-18 (water rates and connection fees for fiscal years 2026–2029) and Ordinance 10-30 (council and mayor salaries for calendar year 2026). All three measures passed on roll-call votes with the council voting unanimously in favor.
Resolution 25-17 — Comprehensive fee schedule
What passed: Resolution 25-17 adopts an updated comprehensive fee schedule for fiscal year 2026. The schedule updates fees across several departments including Planning & Zoning (land-use fees), Parks and Recreation, Library, Police (dog licensing), Airport (lease rate tied to CPI), and Public Works. Staff said the most significant change in land-use fees was the incorporation of a city-arborist component into land-use review fees so the arborist time is captured and billed as part of applications.
Key clarifications from staff: Community Development staff and Parks and Recreation explained that an existing Parks arborist activity was not being billed consistently and was therefore incorporated into the land-use fee schedule to recoup routine arborist time. Administrative approval fees were increased in part by a flat arborist component (about a $60 adjustment on those smaller applications), and larger reviews retain higher fees tied to more extensive site visits.
Vote and motion: Motion to approve Resolution 25-17 was made and seconded during deliberations. Roll-call vote recorded: Council Member Thoreau — yes; Council Member Nelson — yes; Mayor Giles — yes; Council Member Machesek — yes; Council Member Nielsen — yes. Outcome: approved.
Resolution 25-18 — Water rates and connection fees (FY26–FY29)
What passed: Resolution 25-18 adopts revised water rates, capitalization and connection fees for fiscal years 2026 through 2029. Public Works Director Nathan Stewart said the updates reflect more detailed accounting of staff time, vehicle use and parts replacement and that the largest single change was a large increase to the water-truck annual fee (the packet noted roughly a 140% increase), driven by repairs and the cost to make hydrant-based fill operations sustainable until a dedicated water filling station is installed.
Vote and motion: Motion to approve Resolution 25-18 was made and seconded. Roll-call vote recorded: Council Member Thoreau — yes; Council Member Nelson — yes; Mayor Giles — yes; Council Member Machesek — yes; Council Member Nielsen — yes. Outcome: approved.
Ordinance 10-30 — Council and mayor salaries (calendar year 2026)
What passed: Ordinance 10-30 sets the monthly salary for council members at $953 and the mayor's monthly salary at $1,191 for calendar year 2026. Deputy City Clerk Rich Robinson explained the change reflects a biennial CPI adjustment and the ordinance summary included a typographical effective-date error that staff said would be corrected before signature (effective calendar year 2026).
Vote and motion: Motion to adopt Ordinance 10-30 was made by council and seconded; roll-call vote recorded: Council Member Thoreau — yes; Council Member Nelson — yes; Mayor Giles — yes; Council Member Machesek — yes; Council Member Nielsen — yes. Outcome: adopted.
Why it matters: The comprehensive fee updates affect permit costs and program fees across multiple departments and incorporate previously unbilled arborist work into land-use charges. The water-rate changes affect construction and connection costs for developers and contractors and were justified by updated cost-tracking. The salary ordinance updates the elected officials’ pay to reflect the stated CPI adjustment.
Procedural notes: Each resolution was opened for public hearing under Idaho Code 63-13-11A; staff presentations preceded public comment and no written or in-person public testimony was submitted on the fee schedule or water rates prior to the 3 p.m. filing deadline. All voting results were recorded by roll call and the council approved each item unanimously.
Quotations are sourced directly from the meeting transcript and attributed to the speakers who made them.
