Fulton council to weigh higher city fees

Fulton City Hall is located at 18 E. Fourth Ave.
Fulton City Hall is located at 18 E. Fourth Ave.

Fulton City Council members will review a complete overhaul of city fees during tonight's meeting.

The council will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Fulton City Hall, 18 E. Fourth St. The meeting is open to the public and will be live-streamed at fultonmo.org.

The city charges fees for any number of services: park facility rentals, pet adoptions at the municipal animal shelter, building permits and more. Some of those fees have not been updated in years. For example, building permit fees have stagnated since 2008, and cemetery fees have stagnated since before 1980.

After months of work by members of all city departments, the city is bringing proposed new fees before the City Council for a work session. Council members won't be voting on the proposal at this session. These proposed fees would bring the charges for city service in line with those of "surrounding cities of the same size and population," according to the agenda packet.

Not all fees are being increased: Animal control-related fees (impounding and adoption) are remaining the same, as will fees related to shelter rental, most sports facilities (archery range, swimming pool, basketball courts, etc.) and business licenses.

Liquor license applicants might actually pay less during their first year under the proposed changes; the packet proposes prorating license fees for those opening a business later in the license year. Currently, licenses cost $250 and must be renewed by July 1.

Many fees, however, will increase if City Council members eventually vote to pass the changes. They include:

The cost of a cemetery plot will double, increasing from $200 to $400. This will help cover overtime for city employees supervising burials, according to the city. Also doubling: weekday and weekend cremation burials (from $50 to $100 and $75 to $150, respectively).

New residential construction permit rates will also change; rather than be charged based on the building's total size, it'll be calculated based on how many square feet of finished (20 cents per square foot), unfinished (5 cents) and garage space (5 cents) it includes. Fees for electric, plumbing, heat and air conditioning permits will be eliminated.

Commercial construction and remodeling permit fees are also significantly increasing. One example provided by the city imagines a 3,000-square-foot building with 400 amp service, 68 circuits, three air conditioners, three heating units and eight plumbing fixtures. Under the old prices, that permit would cost $368; under the new, $916.

Demolition permit fees are increasing from $5 to $25 for residential and $50 for commercial; sign permit prices are doubling.

The cost of applying for a zoning change will triple: from $100 to $300.

The proposal also establishes a policy for handling fee waivers and reductions for events held in city parks. Rather than needing to bring such requests to the City Council, Parks and Recreation Department members will be able to make those decision.

Fee-reduction decisions will be based on whether the group is an established nonprofit/civic organization; whether the event will benefit the community; whether it costs money to attend; whether it adheres to city policies and whether the group/individuals have received a waiver in the past.

Policing

In other business, council members will continue a contract between the Fulton Police Department and Fulton Housing Authority. Under the contract, FPD officers will provide "additional law enforcement services approximately 40 hours per week for specialized patrols to enforce all laws and the Housing Authority Rules specified in this contract."

Those rules include removing individuals from unoccupied FHA structures, removing visitors/residents "creating disturbance," and removing or taking other enforcement actions against people caught defacing, destroying or removing FHA property. Police will also enforce FHA parking regulations.

Officers are also to help develop crime prevention programs in the public housing communities.

The contract lasts for one year, and the FHA will pay the city up to $30,000 for services provided.

Upcoming events

Council members will also vote on whether to approve several upcoming community events.

William Woods University's Nichole Thomas is requesting permission for the annual Out of the Darkness Walk, which benefits the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, to begin at 11 a.m. March 29.

On behalf of Missouri Girls Town, Stephanie Vollmer will request a fee waiver for the second Girls with Grit 5K, planned 9:30-11:30 a.m. April 4 at Memorial Park.

Callaway County Relay for Life members will request permission for the relay, planned for 5:30 p.m. June 12 at Memorial Park.