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Landfill fee revenues will help pay for cleanup day in Webster City

WEBSTER CITY — Money from the landfill fee Webster City residents pay every month will also be used for the annual community cleanup and maintaining the composting operation as a result of City Council action Monday.

Homeowners pay a landfill fee of $1.75 per month, and businesses pay higher monthly fees. The revenue from the fee has historically been used to pay the city’s share of Hamilton County Solid Waste Commission costs. The city pays the commission $9,078.75 quarterly.

The commission has reduced its fee to the city, according to City Manager Daniel Ortiz-Hernandez.

As a result, he recommended keeping the fee at the same level, and allowing the revenue to be used for additional things. The citywide cleanup, the compost pile and the tree disposal site would all be paid for in part with money from the landfill fee, under the plan approved by the council Monday.

The composting operations costs about $41,000 a year, while the tree disposal site costs about $38,000 a year, according to Ortiz-Hernandez.

The council voted 4-1 to approve the plan. Mayor John Hawkins and councilmen Matt McKinney, Brian Miller and Logan Welch voted yes. Councilman Jim Talbot voted no.

In other business, the council approved a measure that would eventually allow the city government to provide money through tax increment financing to support the construction of a new commercial building along Red Bull Division Drive.

Ridge Development LLC has proposed an 8,500 square foot building that would be occupied by two to three businesses. It would be located south of the Shopko Hometown store.

Details on the construction of the building or its potential occupants weren’t available Monday night.

The council unanimously approved a measure adding the building site to the urban renewal area. That move means the city could offer tax increment financing to the developer. Tax increment financing occurs when increased property tax revenue from a designated area is set aside to be reinvested in that area. Additional council action would be required to give the developer any money.

In another property related matter, the council unanimously approved a property tax abatement for a new house at 1307 Wall St. owned by Lynn and Debbie Jaycox. They will not have to pay property taxes on the new construction for three years, but they will still have to pay the taxes on the lot the house sits on.

The council set a public hearing for Sept. 4 on the potential sale of the old Hamilton Hospital site at 800 Ohio St. Hamilton Hospital was replaced by Van Diest Medical Center and the Ohio Street property is now a vacant lot.

City officials have received inquiries from two potential buyers.

Also on Monday, the council bought five sets of firefighter protective clothing, also called turnout gear or bunker gear, from Sandry Fire Supply, of DeWitt, for $11,625.

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