Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Coolidge council adopts sewer rates ordinance, approves fee changes and accepts council member resignation
Summary
At its July 8 meeting the Coolidge City Council unanimously adopted a sewer rates ordinance, approved two new fees (a $10 land-use compliance processing fee and a $100 emergency after-hours service fee), authorized interfund repayments and transfers tied to the FY2024 audit, and accepted the resignation of Council Member Freddie Johnson.
The City of Coolidge City Council on July 8 unanimously adopted a new sewer rates ordinance and approved a series of budget and fee measures tied to the city's FY2024 audit, the council recorded in its official minutes.
Mayor Diane H. Causey called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.; Lonnie Adamson led the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. Nick Valenti of Valenti, Rackley & Associates, LLC presented the 2024 audit report to the council as part of Administrative Department business. No public comment was recorded.
On ordinance and fee actions, the council approved a Land Use Compliance Processing Fee set at $10 and an Emergency After Hours Service Fee set at $100. Both measures were recorded as approved on motions by Council Member Elizabeth Leger and seconded by council colleagues; roll-call votes listed council members Elizabeth Leger, W.C. Smith, Melissa Johnson and Tonia Gentry as voting in the affirmative.
The council voted to adopt the Sewer Rates Ordinance on a motion by Elizabeth Leger and a second by Melissa Johnson; the minutes record the adoption as unanimous among the council members listed. The minutes do not include the ordinance text or the new rate schedule; those details are not specified in the minutes and would be available in the ordinance file or the city's published ordinance record.
Budget actions tied to the FY2024 audit included approval of an interfund loan repayment from the Water/Sewer Fund to the General Fund: $20,000 in July 2025 and $7,000 per month from August through December 2025 (total $55,000). The council also approved transfers from the General Money Market Fund to the General Fund of $1,560 per month for July through October 2025 (total $7,800). Both measures were moved and seconded and recorded as approved by the council members listed in the minutes.
The Recreation Department's Summer Fun Water Day event was approved on a motion by Melissa Johnson, seconded by Elizabeth Leger. The Police Department entry in the minutes is recorded as "Police Report ' Chief Jordan"; no substantive discussion of the report is recorded in the minutes.
Council Member Freddie Johnson's resignation was accepted by the council; the minutes record the acceptance but do not state reasons for the resignation or next steps for filling the vacancy.
The meeting adjourned after routine business. The minutes are signed by Mayor Diane H. Causey and Assistant City Clerk Alisha Bass.
Votes at a glance
- Approval of June 2025 workshop and council minutes; order of agenda: Motion-Melissa Johnson; Second-Tonia Gentry; recorded as unanimously approved by council members Elizabeth Leger, W.C. Smith, Melissa Johnson and Tonia Gentry. - Bills to be paid: Motion-Melissa Johnson; Second-Elizabeth Leger; recorded as unanimously approved. - Land Use Compliance Processing Fee ($10): Motion-Elizabeth Leger; Second-Tonia Gentry; recorded as approved (ayes recorded). - Emergency After Hours Service Fee ($100): Motion-Elizabeth Leger; Second-W.C. Smith; recorded as unanimously approved. - Adoption of Sewer Rates Ordinance: Motion-Elizabeth Leger; Second-Melissa Johnson; recorded as unanimously approved. - Summer Fun Water Day (Recreation Department): Motion-Melissa Johnson; Second-Elizabeth Leger; recorded as unanimously approved. - Interfund loan repayment (Water/Sewer Fund to General Fund): $20,000 (July 2025) + $7,000/month Aug'Dec 2025 (total $55,000). Motion-W.C. Smith; Second-Tonia Gentry; recorded as unanimously approved. - Transfers from General Money Market Fund to General Fund: $1,560/month July'Oct 2025 (total $7,800). Motion-W.C. Smith; Second-Tonia Gentry; recorded as unanimously approved. - Acceptance of resignation of Council Member Freddie Johnson: recorded as accepted.
What the minutes do not specify
The minutes list the adoption of a sewer rates ordinance but do not include the ordinance text, the new rates, or an effective date. The acceptance of Council Member Freddie Johnson's resignation is recorded without explanation or stated next steps for filling the vacancy. The Audit Report was presented by Valenti, Rackley & Associates, LLC, but the minutes do not summarize findings or staff responses. Those documents and further detail should be consulted in the city's official ordinance and audit files for more information.
