City of Bonners Ferry to propose fee increases

BONNERS FERRY — The City of Bonners Ferry will announce in the coming weeks a proposal of a number of fees for business licenses and alcohol permits, animal licenses and impounds, miscellaneous fees, building permits, utility application and connection, city property, parade permits, electrical vehicle charging stations and city equipment.

The City is scheduled to officially publish the official fee proposal on Thursday, Dec. 3.

According to City Administrator Lisa Ailport, the fees are meant to align the City of Bonners Ferry fee schedule with Bonners Ferry City Code and properly organize the City's fee schedule.

The business licenses and alcohol permit fees include a $50 base liquor transfer fee and a $50 beer and wine transfer fee.

The animal license and impound fees are to “provide for impounding fees to offset costs paid to Second Chance Animals shelter” and include a $20 dog impounding fee per offense.

The miscellaneous fees are for copying fees only for black and whitr after the first 100 pages, and are to cover costs associated with providing copies. These fees are $.10 per page.

According to a notice provided by the City, the building permit fees are to provide “for fees for zoning permit review on building permit. These new fees will cover staff time to review land parcel and zoning standards for compliance. This fee is in addition to the building permit fees.”

The building permit fees are a $75 base fee for zoning review of residential areas, a $300 base fee for zoning review of commercial buildings, and a $100 base fee for zoning review of commercial signs.

The proposed utility application and connection fee is a $250 base fee for a City ROW permit. According to the City’s notice, this fee would “provide for a right of way permit application fee for any construction or work done within city right-of-way, including but not limited to encroachments, driveways, excavations or modifications.”

The utility application fee would be to cover staff time and equipment to review, issue and inspect any work done within the right of way.

Proposed city property fee increases are a $35 base fee for visitor center rental to non-profit organizations and a $35 base fee for fire hall rental to non-profit organizations. These fees are to cover the expense of cleaning the facilities after each use.

Parade permit fees will be either $35 or $100 per parade/special event depending on the type. These fees are to cover the city’s expenses for cleanup.

The city’s proposed electric vehicle charging station fee would be $0.25 per kiloWatt hour. The fee is at the recommendation of the station’s manufacturer which it claims represents a fair price.

According to a notice provided by the City, the equipment rate adjustments are to provide for rate adjustments to equipment replacement costs to align with current actual costs. The adjustments will for changes to the hourly rate charges applied for use of the equipment.

The changes to city equipment rates are as follows:

• Backhoe: $130,000 replacement cost and $45 hourly rate
• Bucket truck: $240,000 replacement cost and $76.79 hourly rate
• Small bucket truck: $118,000 replacement cost and $44.11 hourly rate
• Digger Derrick truck: $200,000 replacement cost and $54.47 hourly rate
• Ditch Witch: $75,000 replacement cost and $43.13 hourly rate
• Dump truck: $100,000 replacement cost and $42.50 hourly rate
• Flusher vac truck: $500,000 replacement cost and $127.14 hourly rate
• Front end loader: $200,000 replacement cost and $65 hourly rate
• Grader: $250,000 replacement cost and $71.07 hourly rate
• Large excavator: $100,000 replacement cost and $37.50 hourly rate
• Medium excavator: $64,000 replacement cost and $28.50 hourly rate
• Small excavator: $30,000 replacement cost and $20 hourly rate

To calculate hourly rate, the City used a set formula: Hourly charge rate equals replacement cost divided by hourly life, multiplied by 75%, plus operational cost. Salvage

value assumed at 25%

The Bonners Ferry City Council will be holding a public hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chamber to address the proposed fee increases.