Franklin Springs council raises renters' utility deposit, restores 30‑day shutoff cutoff

The Franklin Springs City Council voted to raise the security deposit for renters' utility accounts from $100 to $200 and restored a 30‑day cutoff for water service delinquency, the council chair said at the meeting.

The chair told the board staff had compiled a list showing $13,449.29 in unpaid utility balances, about 95% of which were tied to renter accounts, and proposed the deposit increase as a targeted measure. The council moved and approved the change by voice/vote signal.

Council members also voted to revert the city policy to a 30‑day cutoff for unpaid water service; the chair said the city had been allowing roughly 40 days and that returning to 30 days better protects taxpayers. Tom made the motion to reflect the 30‑day cutoff, and Josh seconded it; the motion carried.

The council discussed building inspection fees and directed staff to prepare a formal fee structure next month. Chief Thompson said the draft baseline mirrors similarly sized cities and that staff aim to shift repeated re-inspection costs back to the builder or the inspection contractor responsible for substandard work. No specific dollar amounts for new inspection fees were decided at the meeting.

Why it matters: Council members framed the changes as fiscal safeguards for the utility fund and an effort to reduce repeated inspection costs borne by the city. Staff will return with a proposed rate and fee schedule for council consideration next month.

What’s next: The council directed staff to prepare the inspection-fee proposal and related ordinance or policy language for a future meeting; the deposit and 30‑day cutoff changes were approved during this session.