Antioch Council approves, postpones increases to Master Fee Schedule on split votes
Councilmembers concerned about adding more financial burdens on residents during COVID-19 shelter-in-place
By Allen Payton
During their meeting Tuesday night, May 26, 2020 the Antioch City Council approved changes to the size and design of homes in the Cielo development of Century Communities and approved some fee increases but not others in the Master Fee Schedule on splits vote, with Councilman Lamar Thorpe voting against all of the increases. Master Fee Schedule ACC052620
“I don’t think this is the time to increase fees during the COVID crisis. So, I won’t be voting to increase any of them,” Thorpe said
“I would not be in favor of any park and rec fee increases to the community, right now,” said Mayor Pro Tem Joy Motts. “I think they would hit our senior citizens too hard.”
“Any events higher than 10…do require security,” said Nancy Kaiser responding to concerns from Councilwoman Monica Wilson. “We’ve had adults, teens bringing in alcohol and illegal
“Now during this time of COVID, parents, their salaries have been cut in half…I don’t want to add an additional burden on them, and I think they need to be rethought,” said Wilson.
“The revenue we have lost this year, we’ve lost. But the deposits are held in trust and the events have been postponed until next year,” Kaiser responded.
“I think we should postpone all of this. I don’t think this looks good, at this time,” Thorpe stated. “I think it looks contrary to what our positions have been in the past…as it relates to the economic burden people are facing. I think we postpone this until a later date. I think we look hypocritical doing things for one group, renters…and then raise fees on another group.”
“We are not under any time constraints. We have a strong budget reserve. A couple dollars here and a couple dollars there is not going to break the bank,” he added.
“The fees we’re looking adjusted go through June 30,” said City Manager Ron Bernal.
“The spay and neuter rates are a direct cost to our veterinarian. That would be one of the fees we could implement, now so we can continue to do spay and neuter services for our community,” he requested.
The council majority of Motts, Thorpe and Wilson voted against increasing Community Development, Public Works, and Parks and Recreation fees.
But they approved all the other fee increases on 4-1 votes with just Thorpe voting against.
Only one of part of the Master Fee Schedule, which was changes to the language for the Parks and Recreation Department fees, passed on a 5-0 vote.
“We will revisit after the declared emergency,” Motts added.
The changes will go into effect on July 1st.
the attachments to this post:
Master Fee Schedule ACC052620
ACC mtg 05-26-20
