Crowley aldermen accept sewer‑fee certification, set public hearing on ordinance

Crowley — The Crowley Mayor and Board of Aldermen voted to accept and certify a special committee's report on the sewer user fee and adopted a resolution calling for a public hearing and introduction of an ordinance to set the required sewer user fee rate.

The council's motion to accept the committee's certification and to call for the public hearing was offered by Vernon Martin and seconded by Alderman Corr. Mayor and aldermen clarified that the vote before the council was only to accept the certification and schedule the public hearing; any actual rate increase would require an ordinance introduced after the public hearing and then a subsequent council vote.

City staff told the council the certification reflected consideration by the city clerk, the city engineer, the city CPA and the city auditor and that the resolution simply sets the process for a public hearing and ordinance introduction. Aldermen stressed the distinction between certifying the rate study and adopting a rate increase.

The motion carried after a roll call: the mayor called for all in favor and recorded one "nay," but the resolution to call the public hearing was approved.

Next steps: the council scheduled the public hearing required by ordinance procedure; any change to sewer user fees would come later if the council adopts an ordinance after the hearing.