Members of the Plymouth City Council approved a request Monday night to defer the tap fees for water and sewer for the Aquatics Center and Early Learning Childhood Center construction projects.
City Attorney Sean Surrisi discussed the need to defer payment of the tap fees till the end of the project because of the requirement to have to have a larger contingency fund with the New Market Tax Credits partially financing the project.
The tap fee for the Aquatics Center is $72,833 while the fees for the Early Learning Center were estimated at $18,000.
Surrisi said the tap fees would be paid at the completion of the project and if there wasn’t enough contingency funds available the Plymouth Redevelopment Commission agreed to cover those fees.
Before the vote City Councilman Gary Cook asked Surrisi if there was knowledge of the needed 5% contingency fund for the financing. Surrisi said they knew of the requirement but delays, major changes in the project and bids coming in higher than anticipated caused the need to maintain a higher contingency fund.
Councilman Gary Cook is opposed to the project and said, “I know you stated that Redevelopment would come forward with the money if they need be at the tail end of the project, but again it’s more taxpayer dollars being asked for.”
Cook then asked Jerry Chavez, President and CEO of the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation, “You were spearheading a lot of this. I would have thought you would have had a lot of that figured out.”
Chavez said, “We had a majority of the price figured out but we had some major curve balls thrown at us.” Which Cook replied, “Haven’t we all?”
At that point Chavez said something like…we did on this project and Cook then said, “And don’t roll your eyes at me like that again.” Chavez said, “I didn’t roll my eyes.” At which point Mr. Cook said, “Yes you did.” Chavez replied, “No I didn’t.”
Mayor Senter stepped in and stopped the back-and-forth exchange of words.
The request to defer payment of the utility fees until the end of the project was motioned to approve by Councilman Duane Culp and seconded by Bill Walters. The final vote was 3 in favor, 1 Jeff Houin abstaining and both councilmen Don Ecker and Randy Longanecker being absent from the meeting.
