Dock fees on council’s agenda
Published 7:46 pm Friday, December 5, 2014
The Washington City Council, during its meeting Monday, is expected to discuss fees for use of the city’s waterfront docks.
Fred Watkins, chairman of the city’s Waterfront Docks Advisory Committee, is listed under the public-appearances segment of the council’s tentative agenda. The waterfront docks committee is a result of a proposal to change how the waterfront docks are managed. The changes were suggested by the Washington Harbor District Alliance’s maritime committee.
Last month, the council received recommended changes to the fee schedule for the waterfront docks.
Under the proposal to increase waterfront dock fees, boaters using the docks would pay $3 a day for 30-amp service or $5 a day for 50-amp service. Currently, no fee is charged for power usage. Also under the proposal, fees for renting boat slips at the T docks would decrease from some boats (small) but increase for other (large) boats.
The daily docking fee would increase from $7.50 to $10 (maximum of six hours) if the proposed changes were adopted. (Detailed information about the proposed fee changes may be obtained by contacting the city manager’s office.)
To help it better prepare for its upcoming budget-preparation season, the council is continuing to review fees for services and programs the city provides. In recent weeks, the council has reviewed fees and deficits related to Brown Library and the Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center, both operated by the city. The council also has reviewed fees the city charges for area youth sports leagues to use city sports facilities.
Council members said the detailed information they are receiving about those and other fees lets them know if a specific service program is making money, losing money or breaking even. That information helps them make better budget-related decisions, they said.
The council meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the Council Chambers in the Municipal Building, 102 E. Second St. To view the council’s agenda for a specific meeting, visit the city’s website at www.washingtonnc.gov, click “Government” then “City Council” heading, then click “Meeting Agendas” on the menu to the right. Then click on the date for the appropriate agenda.