Brownwood News – After months of budget meetings, work and public hearings, the Brownwood City Council established the budget and tax rate for the next fiscal year. During their meeting this morning, the council adopted the 2017-18 budget of $34,351,613, which is an increase of 2.3% from the prior year. A copy of the detailed budget can be requested at city hall and is also available on the city website.
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The council also adopted the proposed tax rate of .7946 per $100 valuation. Approval was also given for the ordinance setting charges, fees, rates and deposits for customers on the Brownwood water, sewer and sanitation system. The rates did see some increases. The water consumption rate has been increased 1.8% to cover the increase in the cost of wholesale water from the Brown County Water Improvement District of 3.59%. The sewer rate has been increased by 8.4% to cover bond payments for improvements to the wastewater treatment plant. Sanitation rates are now 4% higher to make capital lease payments on two new trash trucks and to cover increased maintenance cost to an aging fleet. And, the landfill gate rate has been increased 5% to cover increased operating costs at the landfill.
Other new fees that were improved with the passage of the fees and rates are a $100 fee for meter tampering and a fee to cover the washing of residential and commercial trash containers. The council also approved fees for other services not addressed in the utility rate ordinance. Individual memberships at the transportation museum have been eliminated due to lack of interest, which will allow making the family memberships more affordable. The game room at the Coliseum Annex will no longer be available due to equipment being damaged. The passage of these fees will also see an overnight camping fee at Fabis Park of $10 being added.