After a review of costs by all departments of the City of Webster City, the City Council approved increases to most fees for doing business with the city at its meeting Monday.
The new fees will be increased to reflect labor rates in effect on July 1, 2024, using an average of current wages and an allowance for benefits.
Recreation and Public Grounds Director Breanne Lesher confirmed the city will hold the line on the cost of passes for facilities at Fuller Hall Recreation Center and the outdoor pool.
Interim City Manager John Harrenstein was also quick to add, “We’re actually lowering some building fees in part due to property developers telling us we weren’t competitive with other cities. We immediately took a look at our costs, and saw we had room to move.”
Here’s a sample of new fees for some of the most common city services:
The Webster City Police Department will now charge $80 to answer a false alarm; $25 to unlock car doors for motorists who’ve locked their keys inside cars; and $30 for fingerprinting.
Most ordinary parking violation fines will now cost $30, with $50 being charged to those who fail to remove their vehicles from streets when snow removal must be performed.
Fines for speeding will be assessed on the following schedule for those exceeding posted speed limits by the following amounts: from 1 to 5 mph over, $30; from 6 to 10 mph over, $55; from 11 to 20 mph over, $75; from 21 to 25 mph over, $100. Fines will be double the above amounts in work zones.
The following motor vehicle violations will all be fined at the new rate of $135 per violation:
. Failure to stop or yield; driving the wrong way on a one-way street; failing to obey a traffic control device (ie. sign or light); or improper use of lanes. These fines do not include surcharges or court costs.
. Those violating any provision of the city’s nuisance code will be subject to a fine of $65 for the first offense, $100 for a second offense, and $150 for a third offense.
. Renting the picnic pavilion at West Twin Park will increase in cost from $50 to $75 per day. The popular facility has seen widespread use for a variety of small events since it opened.
Costs for burial at the city-owned Graceland Cemetery have also increased. A regular adult or child (2 years old or older) grave will now cost $720 and burial of ashes in a cremation urn $230. These charges do not include charges for a traditional grave space of 5 feet by 10 feet ($760), or cremation grave space of 5 feet by 5 feet ($380).
A complete list of all fees for city services can be found on the City’s website https://webstercity.com.
In other action, City Council:
. Accepted a bid from Harold K. Scholz Company, Ralston, Nebraska, to purchase 15Kv indoor metalclad switchgear. There were only two quotations received, with Scholz’s bid of $439,500 44% lower than its only competitor, Eaton Corporation. A key provision of the Scholz bid is that it cannot deliver the equipment until six months after the contract requires. If Scholz holds to this schedule it is not expected to affect the completion of the project, so the bid was accepted. The project will be paid for in four separate invoices, with each subject to a price escalation clause, but only those exceeding 2% of quoted cost.
. Approved final payment of $6,105.69 to Woodruff Construction, Ames, to close out reconstruction of the basement and floor of City Hall. An additional payment of $2,000 for engineering services will be paid to Schlotfeldt Engineering of Webster City.
. Agreed to pay Jim’s Tree Service of Webster City $3,500 for removal of a large ash tree at 1113 Hamilton Road, Webster City, a home owned by Mark Olson. With branches falling from recent high winds, there was a danger of losing the entire tree, and further damage to the Olson, or possibly, adjacent properties. Olson failed to have the tree removed on his own after notification by the city. The $3,500 cost of the tree removal will now be a lien against the property until repaid.
. Accepted a proposal from Finance Director Dodie Wolfgram to move the city’s operating checking and sweep accounts to First State Bank, “because it best fits the needs of the city, and provides the best rate of total return. The City will keep its USDA revolving loan account at Avalia Bank, and will continue to seek and award bids for certificates of deposit to local financial institutions, or the Iowa Public Agency Investment Trust, depending on rate of return.
. Renewed a lease of city-owned property at 402 White Fox Road to Michael Hendy. The land was first leased to Hendy in August, 2021, for three years for operation of a radio-controlled racetrack. It is being renewed for three more years at a rate of $1 a year. Hendy said as many as 100 racers and family members come to race cars every week between April and October each year.
. Approved a request from Community Development Director Ariel Bertran to seek bids for demolition of a derelict, abandoned house at 614 First Street, Webster City. The property, which is deemed unsafe, has been owned by the city since November 2023. Demolition bids were solicited in March, but exceeded the expected cost. This may be due to a large amount of asbestos in the house, which must be carefully removed and disposed of. The city’s budget for unsafe buildings is $30,000 for fiscal year 2024, but that will not meet current needs. It is proposed to be doubled to $60,000 in fiscal year 2025. Interim City Manager John Harrenstein said, “staff have extensively reviewed our options with this property. Some believe it could be restored, but a majority favor demolition.”
. Approved a permit for American Tap, 526 Second Street, to hold an event August 24 for motorcycle and side-by-side riders. Known as Angel Tree Ride WC, the event features a motorcycle ride, followed by a meal, live auction and live band. Alcohol and food will be served in the parking lot behind the bar. Last year, $17,500 was raised with proceeds going to the annual Angel Tree Christmas gift program, senior assistance through Upper Des Moines Opportunity Inc., and to buy raised garden beds for Webster City Daycare.
View this article as it appeared in the Daily Freeman-Journal.
Last modified: July 2, 2024
