Cullman council sets fees for water, wastewater connections

CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman City Council on Monday evening approved ordinances setting new fees for connections, reconnections and other services of the water and wastewater systems.

Water fees

The water fee ordinance set forth the following fees for connections, reconnections and other services:

1. a) Reconnection Fee $35
2. b) Reconnection Fees (After Hours) $60
3. c) Lock Replacement Fee $75
4. d) Replace Check Valve $100 plus cost of repair materials 
5. e) Replace Curb Stop $150 plus cost of repair materials 
6. f) Locate Service Line $500 plus cost of repair materials 
7. g) Raise or Lower Meter $500 plus cost of repair materials 
8. h) Unauthorized Water Use $500 plus cost of repair materials 
9. i) Damaged Service $500 plus cost of repair materials 
10. j) 3/4” Meter Installation with Box and Lid $800 plus cost of repair materials 
11. k) 1” Meter Installation with Box and Lid $1,000 plus cost of repair materials 
12. l) 2” Vault Installation $2,500 minimum plus cost of repair materials 
13. m) 2” Meter Installation $3,500 minimum plus cost of repair materials 
14. n) Fire Taps Fees will be determined on a case by case basis. 
15. o) Account Transfer Fee within System $25
16. p) Service Fee for 3/4” water meter $100
17. q) Service Fee for 1” water meter $200 
18. r) Service Fee for any water meter above 1” $300

The ordinance also set fees for connection to the city’s water system, based on water line diameter. For residences within 1.5 miles of the interstate, extra procedures will double the listed fees.

• 3/4″ $500 
• 1″ $1,500
• 2″ $5,000
• 3″ $11,000
• 4″ and above $17,500

Wastewater fees

The wastewater fee ordinance set forth the following fees for connections, reconnections and other services:

1. a) Cleanout Cap Repair $30 
2. b) Repair Manhole Ring and Lid $500 plus cost of repair materials 
3. c) Unauthorized Sewer Use $500 plus cost of repair materials 
4. d) Damaged Service $500 plus cost of repair materials 
5. e) 2” Pressure Tap $720 plus cost of repair materials 
6. f) 4” Sewer Tap $720 plus cost of repair materials 
7. g) 4” Pressure Tap $720 plus cost of repair materials 
8. h) 6” Sewer Tap $3,250 plus cost of repair materials 
9. i) 6” Pressure Tap $3,250 plus cost of repair materials 
10. j) 8” Sewer Tap $5,520 plus cost of repair materials 
11. k) 8” Pressure Tap $5,520 plus cost of repair materials 
12. l) 4” Relocate Sewer Service $1,440 plus cost of repair materials 
13. m) 6” Relocate Sewer Service $6,500 plus cost of repair materials 
14. n) 8” Relocate Sewer Service $11,040 plus cost of repair materials 
15. o) Account Transfer Fee within System $25
16. p) Service Fee for 3/4” water meter $100
17. q) Service Fee for 1” water meter $200
18. r) Service Fee for any water meter above 1” $300

The proposed ordinance also set fees for connection to the city’s water system, based on water line diameter and equal to the connection fees in the proposed water fee ordinance.

Annexations approved

The council also approved several property annexations:

• 1789 County Road 1339 into the city limits as R-1 Residential
• property on Bolte Road into the city limits as PUD PR-1 Residential
• property on County Road 700 into the city limits as PUD PR-1 Residential
• 535 County Road 1317 into the city limits as R-1 Residential

First quarter financial report

The council presented a financial report for October through December 2020, the first quarter of fiscal year 2021, noting an increase in expenses but an even greater increase in revenues. Much of the increase in expenses was tied to the purchase of the City’s new automated garbage trucks. The largest dollar increase in revenues came from sales tax, while the largest percentile increase came from municipal fines which more than doubled. Internet sales tax revenues increased by more than 50% while revenues from liquor tax, business licenses and tobacco taxes all saw increases of more than 20%. Revenues from building permits and gas tax both fell; all other revenues increased.

• Total revenues – $10,465,921, 16.22% increase over FY 2020
• Total expenses – $10,579,054, 11.96% increase over FY 2020

Revenues

Sales Tax – 5,414,341

Sanitation Fees – $1,421,034

Property Tax – $1,406,062

Liquor Tax – $169,842

Beer/Wine Tax – $151,960

Rental Tax – $136,645

Internet Sales Tax – $116,420

Business Licenses – $95,800

Fines – $69,116

Building Permits – $59,386

Gas Tax – $58,325

Tobacco Tax – $35,775

Cable Revenue – $8,403

Council President Jenny Folsom also noted that the county’s unemployment rate for December was 2.1%, the lowest in the state and well below Alabama’s rate of 3.9%.

The Cullman City Council meets next on Monday, Feb. 8, 2021 at 7 p.m. in the Cullman City Hall auditorium. The public is invited to attend, subject to occupancy restrictions.

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Wendy Sack

wendy@cullmantribune.com