Josephine, Magnolia MUD leaders agree to draft clearer public-safety contract after disputed fee hike

Summary

City officials and Magnolia MUD board members met Sept. 15 and agreed to draft a term sheet to clarify what public‑safety services the city will provide, how fees will be calculated and when they will be reviewed after residents and the MUD objected to a jump in the monthly public‑safety charge to about $77.

Josephine city officials and leaders of the Magnolia municipal utility district met in a special work session on Sept. 15 to address complaints about a recent increase in the district’s public‑safety fee and to map out a path toward a clarified service agreement.

Mike Phelps, president of the Magnolia MUD, told the city council the charge to MUD residents moved from roughly $35 to "about 77 and some change," and said residents want a clearer explanation of what that higher fee will buy. "We want to know exactly what we're paying for," Phelps said, adding the district contributes roughly 70% of the population served and expects proportionate value for that share.

City Administrator Lisa Palumbo defended the work the city did to update its cost model, saying the consultant study broadened the budget categories to include dispatch, jail services, radios and equipment and showed the city had been undercharging. "It…

Josephine, Magnolia MUD leaders agree to draft clearer public-safety contract after disputed fee hike

Summary

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