Council tables $75 collection fee for Central Weber and Northview Fire after sewer district objects

Pleasant View City Council on Tuesday voted 3-2 to table a proposed change to the city's consolidated fee schedule that would add a $75 administrative charge to collect impact fees for Central Weber Sewer Improvement District and Northview Fire Agency.

City staff proposed the $75 fee to recover staff time spent checking permits, contacting developers and reconciling payments for those two agencies. Council members who supported tabling the change said they wanted Central Weber's board to review the legal agreements that govern who is responsible for collecting impact fees before Pleasant View adopts the fee.

Kevin Hall, general manager of Central Weber Sewer Improvement District, told the council the district is a wholesale provider with standing agreements that make the member cities responsible for collecting impact fees. "Those agreements were signed in 02/2009, and they make reference to an earlier agreement that was signed in 1998," Hall said. "As it is now, the city would collect the impact fee. And we are not equipped to do it, because we are a wholesale provider, and we only collect our fees from the cities." Camille Cook, Central Weber's finance director, added that Central Weber serves roughly 200,000 residents and that any change that increases the district's administrative load could raise service fees for all member entities. "Every dollar paid goes toward the services they receive," Cook said.

Representatives from Northview Fire Agency, who have discussed collecting their own fees using the city's inspection software, told the council they are willing to take on that work. Ryan Barker of Northview Fire said the agency "has access to City Inspect" and could collect its impact fees directly if the council preferred that approach.

Council member Gibson moved to table the fee change; Council member Marriott seconded. After discussion, the motion to table passed on a 3-2 vote. Council discussion directed staff to ask Central Weber's board to consider the proposal and report back. Council members said tabling preserves the status quo while the wholesale provider and member cities evaluate whether an interlocal or contract amendment is needed.

The council did not adopt the $75 fee; staff said the item will return after the sewer district and city staff have conferred.