Senior staff writer
Southport’s City Council unanimously introduced and advanced an ordinance Monday to establish the city’s first storm water management district.
Southport also would withdraw from the Marion County storm water management district because the municipality is an excluded city within the county.
The council would set a fee so that all tax monies collected for the drainage, collection and disposal of storm water remains in Southport. Southport residents and businesses pay a fee to the Marion County district.
Attorney Brian Bosma explained to the council that Southport would still be obligated to pay its pro-rated share of a massive Marion County bond issue through 2040. The annual payment would be around $9,000 through 2026 but drops to $1,500 annually until 2040.
Once you establish the rates you can fund against future revenues just like Marion County is doing now,” Bosma said. “You would be able to address your storm water improvements.”
Notices are to be mailed to property owners in Southport within a few days. The Southport Board of Works meets Oct. 16 to recommend storm water rates.
The council has called a special meeting Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. in the city building for final reading of the ordinance, which would go into effect 60 days after passage.