Commissioners approve $5 commercial fee as part of city stormwater agreement talks; questions remain about nonprofits and collection mechanics

Rush County commissioners spent extended time discussing a proposed intergovernmental approach for a city to collect a stormwater fee on tax statements rather than via billing. The county staff member explained the state law provision allowing the fee to appear on tax statements and described the steps the city must provide — notably a spreadsheet or CSV with the list of parcels to be included — and a deadline for submission.

Commissioners and staff raised practical concerns about nonprofits and churches, which historically may not receive property tax bills. Commissioners urged the city to perform outreach and include an explanatory pamphlet with initial bills so recipients understand the change. Administrative details discussed included a $20 fee to place liens for unpaid assessments and the need for the city to submit data in a format the county’s billing system can ingest.

After debate over costs and notice, a motion was made and seconded to charge $5 for commercial parcels that do not receive a tax bill; the board voted in favor and the motion carried. Several commissioners emphasized minimizing taxpayer burden while ensuring adequate collection mechanisms.

What was decided and what remains open: The board approved a $5 commercial fee (for parcels not receiving a tax bill) and instructed staff to refine the intergovernmental agreement; they did not finalize every administrative detail in the meeting. Concerns flagged for follow-up include outreach to nonprofits and churches, the city’s timeline for providing parcel data, vendor/publishing costs for explanatory mailings, and how partial-city coverage will be handled.

Quoted from the meeting: "There is a provision in state law that allows them to put it on the tax statements," said Speaker 4, outlining the legal mechanism and the need for the city to supply parcel lists.

"I don't want this fee to be passed on to the taxpayer like the other fees. They're already taxed to death on it," said Speaker 6, noting equity concerns for residents.

"So $5 all the way around," said Speaker 2 when putting the motion to a vote; the motion was recorded as carried.

Next steps: County staff will finalize the draft agreement with the city, insert a deadline for data submission, clarify collection responsibilities and lien procedures, and work with the county auditor/treasurer to ensure the parcel list is formatted correctly for tax statements. The city is expected to provide written confirmation of its processes and the pamphlet language for initial bills.