Council OKs Higher Sanitation Fees

It was back to the usual business for Ferndale City Council on Monday, marking the first regular Council meeting  and .

Because the council was able to pass a budget without additional major cuts, the focus went from the city budget to the city residents – and the residents meant business.

During call to audience, Ferndale residents and business owners had their own agenda and topics of discussion to present before the council, from testimonials about the pros of backyard chickens to the announcement of National Bike/Walk to Work Day on May 20.

The one question everyone seemed to have was similar to this from Ferndale resident Sean House: “Now that (City Council) got their tax, can we have the police and firefighters back?” House, co-chair of the group , campaigned for a no vote during the recent election. His question Monday night was met by applause. "Can we hire back the police and firefighters we lost last year?" he asked.

Mayor Dave Coulter and Mayor Pro Tem Kate Baker explained that the millage approved May 3 does not mean the council can rehire all the personnel it had to cut. The millage was a matter of not cutting additional employees.

Sanitation fees are increased

On the regular agenda, the proposed increase in sanitation fees was revisited.

The original sanitation fees proposed would increase 25 percent to the 2010-11 rates – to $126 (from $101) for a single-family resident property, $108 (from $86) for an apartment unit and $215 (from $172) for a commercial property.

But after encouragement by Piana to look at what can be done to prevent the increase in fees from falling so heavily on residents, Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Byron Photiades was able to bring down the projected fee increases for residents by eliminating two vacant positions and the DPW calendar that is sent to residents. The new costs are $111 (from $101) for a single-family resident property, $95 (from $86) for an apartment unit and $190 (from $172) for a commercial property.

Crime in Ferndale

Ferndale Police Chief Timothy Collins warned residents who continue to leave their cars unlocked after a series of larcenies in the Puritan and Livernois area.

“We are definitely not gonna just push this aside, we are taking the matter very seriously," Collins said. 

Order of thanks

Each council member took the time to thank everyone who helped campaign in the May 3 election and all the Ferndale residents who voted.

"Although we may all disagree, we do not have to be disagreeable," said Coulter, thanking the campaigns on both sides of the May 3 ballot issue.