Council praises fast fire response after apartment blaze, discusses raising reinspection fees

Council members praised the city's fire department and emergency management staff for a rapid response to an apartment fire in District 6 and for ongoing support to affected families. A District 6 council member thanked the mayor and emergency staff for their assistance with displaced residents and recognized Red Cross and United Way for help locating shelter.

The council member asked whether the city could consider raising administrative reinspection fees used to encourage compliance with building and fire codes. A fire department representative explained the current process: the city charges a $75 reinspection fee after an initial failed inspection, gives the business 30 days to correct violations, returns for reinspection and may assess another $75; the process can repeat up to three times before staff refer the case to council for possible business-license revocation or deny a certificate of occupancy.

"We have a $75 reinspection fee... After the initial inspection has failed, we give them 30 days. We go back. If nothing's been done, we issue another $75. And we do it 3 times, and then we'll type a letter to bring them before y'all to revoke a business license," the fire representative said. The council member argued raising the fee could create stronger incentives to fix life-safety issues.

No motion to change the fee was introduced at this meeting; council members asked staff and the legal department to evaluate whether an increase is appropriate and legally supportable.