CLINTON —
A franchise agreement renewal between the city of Clinton and Interstate Power and Light Co. lays the foundation for the city to collect a franchise fee from customers if it wanted to implement one.
The franchise agreement will span the next 25 years, allowing the city to employ the fee during that time. If implemented, the franchise fee would be applied to all customers’ bills and paid to the city. IPL, doing business as Alliant Energy, would only be responsible for the administration aspect of collecting the fee.
“Franchise fees are actually pretty common nowadays at least to have the language in their agreement whether or not they actually have a fee associated with it,” Alliant Spokesman Justin Foss said.
City Attorney Jeff Farwell explained the reason for using the franchise fee language in the agreement during the Internal Operations Committee on Tuesday.
“There’s a section in here about franchise fees, which has been put in there not because the city is moving forward with one. It’s just in the next 25 years if the city would at one point want to do that we want to have the franchise agreement reflect it now,” Farwell said.
The franchise fee is allowed by Iowa code to be up to 5 percent of a customer’s bill. According to Foss, there are a number of other cities that also have similar language contained in their agreements, but not acted upon.
“It helps the city go that route if they choose to, but there is nothing binding about having that language in the agreement,” Foss said.
A franchise fee of 3 percent, which would cost a family with a $250 monthly bill around $90 a year, was discussed last year. The estimated $2.4 million that would have been raised through a fee would have funded long-term investment projects.
Local News
City agreement has franchise fee language
- Local News
-
-
End of the road for landfill's bio-reactor
The county landfill will scrap its bio-reactor. The Clinton County Area Solid Waste Agency heard a quote from James Luther Kiln & Dryer on repairing the broken bio-reactor vessel during Thursday's meeting, learning the project could cost as much as $750,000.
-
More than Paint: School districts prepare to merge as Easton Valley
Members of the Preston and East Central communities are preparing for the major change of their districts becoming one. As of late, those preparations involved gallons of orange and grey paint.
-
Iowa film company showcases Clinton firm
The Iowa Filmmakers were in Clinton on Thursday shooting a new video at Adcraft Printwear.
-
Request to reduce Clinton's costs for landfill use fails
A request by a Clinton city councilwoman for a decrease in the solid waste per capita rate did not receive enough support to move forward in discussions by the county's solid waste agency board Thursday night.
-
UPDATE: More than Ashford faculty exempt from voluntary resignation program
Hundreds of Ashford University employees in Clinton have been offered a chance to voluntarily resign as the company seeks to reduce its workforce.
-
HAPPENING NOW: Replica ships arrive in Clinton today (with video)
Replicas of the Nina and Pinta pulled into the Clinton Marina this afternoon, with residents lining Riverview Drive to catch a glimpse of the ships.
-
Council works to stem losses from ADM valuation adjustment
Preliminary numbers are in and it appears Archer Daniels Midland’s valuation changes will negatively impact the city of Clinton’s budget to the tune of $1.1 million.
-
School leaders: Now is the time to think about run for office
CLINTON -- Four seats will be decided at this fall's Clinton School Board election, and school district leaders say now is the time for potential candidates to start thinking about a run for office.
-
BREAKING NEWS: Cole pleads guilty to lesser charges
A Clinton man charged with first-degree murder pleaded guilty to two lesser charges this morning.
-
VIDEO: Picketers protest outside Clinton City Hall
Clinton residents held protest signs in front of Clinton City Hall prior to Tuesday night’s Clinton City Council meeting. The picketers said they were there to demonstrate their desire to fix numerous issues in the city, among them potholes and sewer bill increases.
- More Local News Headlines
-
End of the road for landfill's bio-reactor
