OUR TOWN
Council makes changes to consumers' annexation costs
MAYOR PHILLIP SPENRATH

Annexation is still in the news as our community draws nearer to the first public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Duson Room of the El Campo Civic Center.

Last Tuesday night, your City Council approved staff's recommendations for annexation policies. Among these recommendations were some significant changes from those mentioned in my previous article.

Pursuant to staff recommendations, the city of El Campo will now pay for both the water and sewer connection fees (aka tap-in fees). In addition, the city will also provide one 1-inch water meter at no cost to existing residences and businesses.

These recommendations should save newly annexed residents up to $2,000 each. Although current city policy dictates that city residents are responsible for the aforementioned fees, your City Council and staff realize that these new residents are being involuntarily annexed and many have not anticipated the significant costs related to this process. Also to aid in the transition, your City Council has extended the mandatory utility connection deadline to one year from the "Date of Notice" that services are ready and available.

Please note that the city will only provide water and sewer tap-in fees and water meters for existing residents. If a new home or business is constructed or remodeled after the effective annexation date (late December), then that resident is responsible for all tap-in fees and meters. Further, all residents are financially responsible for adding extra meters or oversized connections.

In review, the newly annexed resident will be responsible for paying a water and sewer deposit (currently $125, but subject to change.) The newly annexed resident must extend his existing home water and sewer lines out to the city-provided 1-inch meter. Based on tentative estimates, this line extension could cost the resident $1,000-$2,000 depending on the conditions of the working area.

In closing, I would like to address the often asked question, "What do I gain from being annexed into the city of El Campo?"

Through this process, all city residents, new and existing, will be protected by regulation of land use and density through zoning (keep undesirable enterprises out of your neighborhood); code enforcement (lots mowed and junked cars removed); building quality standards and enforcement (ensure that neighbor homes are made of sound quality material); voting rights and representation; animal control; garbage and refuse collection (including removal of tree limbs and brush); emergency service (police, EMS and fire); and maintenance of utilities, streets and drainage.

Your City Council and staff must continue to protect and promote El Campo's future growth and integrity through regulation of new development, promoting orderly growth, and protecting the land-use interests and new infrastructure investments of our citizens.

One of my primary goals has and will continue to be providing every citizen with credible information along with open access to your city government.

- Comments may be addressed to askthemayor@sbcglobal.net.