Council discusses requiring builder utility deposits, sets $25,000 America 250 budget and approves routine minutes and an ordinance

Council members and staff discussed a possible change to how the city handles utility accounts for builders and approved routine governance items.

A staff member in the finance/utility office told the council that builders are not currently required to apply for service or post deposits; closed accounts from builders number "more than 15, probably more than 20," the staff member said. The staff member recommended the council consider an ordinance change to require builders to file applications, include tax IDs on applications and potentially post deposits so the city can pursue collections if accounts go unpaid. "I didn't know if you guys would be willing to talk about it to making that yeah. To change the ordinance to..." the staff member said.

Council members asked clarifying questions about whether routine builder meters are installed and how long construction projects typically take; staff said the city installs meters for builders when water service lines are in and that many houses remain unsold for months, creating unpaid accounts in some cases. One council member stressed a desire not to penalize builders who have historically complied.

On budgeting and events, the chair asked to set a budget for an America 250 celebration. The chair corrected an earlier figure and the council agreed to a $25,000 budget to be funded from gambling funds. "You're good to 25?" the chair asked; members replied "Yes."

The council also received and approved several committee and planning minutes by voice vote, and approved ordinance 04/2026 after a motion, second and unanimous "aye" votes recorded in the transcript. The transcript does not record roll‑call tallies; approvals were recorded by voice.

Votes at a glance

- Chilton meeting minutes — approved by voice vote (motion and second recorded).
- Electric committee minutes (04/2026) — approved by voice vote.
- Ordinance 04/2026 — motioned, seconded and approved by voice vote ('Aye'); transcript records no roll‑call tally.
- America 250 budget — council set a $25,000 budget from gambling funds by consensus.

What happens next: Staff said they will draft any ordinance language if the council wishes to proceed on builder deposits and will return with proposed language and implementation details.