City Council Meeting Date: December 1, 2020
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Ben Martig, City Administrator
Title
Consider Resolution Establishing Utility Franchise Fee Refund Program.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council Consider approving the attached Resolution Establishing Utility Franchise Fee Refund Program.
Summary Report:
The City Council has reviewed offering a franchise fee refund program in conjunction with considering implementing gas and electric franchise fees.
Please see attached memo by Doug Green, Director of Bakertilly Municipal Advisors.
The refund program will be available for all commercial and residential property owners who either have current outstanding assessments or could have been eligible to have had outstanding special assessments should they have chosen not to pay them off.
• Cost Estimate: $112,860 (see attached memo for each year by column totals for both residential and commercial)
• We anticipate additional staff or consulting fees to manage the program in the amount of about $25,000 annually at least to start. It eventually will be phased out.
Staff will not be providing an additional presentation on this item as it was covered at the November 10th City Council meeting. The City Council expressed their interest and support of this option at the meeting.
Alternative Options
None. The City Council supported this option upon review and discussion at the November 10 City Council meeting.
Financial Impacts:
See summary of financial impacts in the alternative option summary section.
Tentative Timelines:
December 1st - Consider Approval of Franchise Fee Rebate Program