NB council proposing fee hikes

By Danielle Strenke
The North Branch City Council held a budget work session Feb. 13 to discuss possible budget cuts that could save the city money and fee increases that could bring in more revenue.
Fees such as trunk fees and sewer and water access charges (SAC and WAC), and others related to development, were all increased.
During the work session, City Administrator John Moosey outlined the city's current fees.
The council discussed raising several of the fees, ensuring that the city's expenses will be covered by those fees.
Moosey said fees related to the Public Works department would be reviewed at a separate work session.
Mayor Gloria Karsky questioned whether the fees were too high for commercial developers.
Moosey said a new home is charged a total of $9,000 for these fees and a business is charged up to 24 times that amount.
ìYou can see why some businesses are saying youíre a little pricey in North Branch,î he said.
He also told the council that there are discrepancies in the fairness of the fee system, particularly in the commercial sector.
ìYou can have some businesses paying six times that amount and then a business like a car wash paying only four times that, yet a car wash has a lot more water usage,î he said.
Finance director Dave Stutelberg reminded the council that ìitís not that weíre charging too much but we have to look at how weíre charging.î
The council also discussed extensively whether cigarette license fees should be increased and to what amount.
The wine license fee was increased and several council members said the cigarette license fee should be increased from $150 to $250 or more.
There are currently 11 businesses holding cigarette licenses in North Branch, City Clerk Bridgette Konrad said.
Council member John Pace Jr. said he wanted to make sure both the wine license fee and cigarette license fee were being increased by the same percentage to make it equitable.

Top of Page

©ECM Post Review

6448 Main Street
North Branch, MN 55056
Telephone: 651-674-7025
Fax: 651-674-7026
E-mail: editor.postreview@ecm-inc.com