The Ironton City Council will review two ordinance proposals Monday night that will establish a municipal fee to bring revenue into the city.

Monday, February 26, 2001

The Ironton City Council will review two ordinance proposals Monday night that will establish a municipal fee to bring revenue into the city.

The municipal fee is hoped to offset the loss of revenue experienced by the city. The recent loss of business has decreased the amount of money brought into city coffers from municipal income tax and other service fees.

Council Chairman Jim Tordiff has proposed ordinance 01-07, which will establish a fee of $2 a month for each household and rental unit in the city. The fee will also be charged to non-residents that subscribe to the city’s water service.

Tordiff’s proposal also calls for an amendment of City Ordinance 97-51, which created the fire safety fee. The proposal will use $1 out of the $4 fire fee for manpower.

This ordinance is a part of a three-prong approach to curb a financial downfall. In addition to the temporary fee and using a part of the fire fee, a two-percent wage freeze for all city workers in 2001 is being considered.

Another ordinance proposal, Ordinance 01-08, sponsored by councilmen Jesse Roberts, Leo Ulery and Richard Price calls for a $2.50 municipal fee which will also tax each household and rental unit in the city and non-residents that subscribe to the city’s water service. The major difference, though, is that 01-08 does not affect the fire safety fee.

Price said that he does propose using the fire fee because money paid into that fund is affected by the closing of industry in the city. He said he feels the city should "leave the fire fee alone" because he does not want to see plans to build a new fire station take a step back.

Price said the $2.50 fee was a compromise between a proposed $2 fee and $3 fee that was discussed in finance committee meetings. He said he discussed $2.50 because it seemed to be a "decent compromise between the two."

He added, "I don’t believe I know any council member who enjoys talking about fees. I hope the city residents know this is a compromise until the city’s residents can vote on fees in the November election so council can know what direction we need to go in."

If either ordinance passes, the selected law will go into effect April 1 of this year and will terminate March 31, 2002 unless the city residents vote for an income tax increase or some other former of municipal tax in the November 2001 general election. If that occurs, the ordinance will terminate Jan. 1, 2001.