Cape Council looks to set fee rates for new budget year
Cape Coral City Council will hold public hearings on four resolutions aimed at setting the annual rates for solid waste, horticultural and recycling, vacant lot mowing and stormwater user fees for Fiscal Year 2015 when it meets at 4:30 p.m. Monday in Council Chambers at City Hall.
The assessment per dwelling for residential solid waste collection is proposed to increase for 2015 to $163.43, or a jump of $13.64 (9.1 percent) over 2014. The fee is collected by the Lee County Tax Collector through the real estate tax bill.
Council also will finalize the rates for horticultural and recycling for commercial establishments. The commercial rate increases by 1.01 percent and is billed directly by Waste Pro.
Vacant lot mowing assessments and stormwater user fees are to be approved by council and the resolution provides collection by the Lee County Tax Collector as part of the property tax bill.
The budget review committee is slated to make its recommendations to council on the City Manager’s proposed budget. The committee continues to support the City Manager’s three-year budget projection concept and supports his proposed budget.
The committee also will recommend keeping the millage rate at 7.7070 in the absence of a Florida Supreme Court ruling on the Fire Service Assessment. It also approves lowering the rate by 0.75 mils with a favorable court ruling.
South Florida Water Management District board member Dan DeLisi is expected to address council on implementation and changes to the adaptive protocols for Lake Okeechobee operations as well as management of the lake system.
It will be a busy week for council, which has scheduled a budget workshop session for 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in Council Chambers followed by a special council meeting on Thursday, Sept. 4. The agendas for those meetings, however, have not been released. Council will not meet on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 1.