Council rejects $60,000-a-year county interlocal as primary solution; seeks alternatives for code enforcement

City staff presented a draft interlocal from Hays County proposing environmental enforcement services for $5,000 per month — $60,000 per year — to cover environmental code enforcement duties. Council members pushed back, saying the flat fee is too high for a small city with under 100 homes and asked staff and the city attorney to investigate lower-cost alternatives.

"60,000 a year per year for every year is an astronomical cost for a city our size," a council member said, and staff listed alternatives discussed in research: a contracted code-enforcement officer, an agreement that provides investigative documentation from a nearby large city, pursuing Chapter 54 municipal ordinance lawsuits in county court when repeat noncompliance occurs, or arranging for a visiting judge to hold court locally so fines and liens could be assessed. Staff said the county declined multiple suggestions to reduce or stagger the fee.

Council asked staff to return with written options and price estimates, to check whether other nearby cities have similar interlocal agreements, and to explore contracting with neighboring municipalities or private code-enforcement firms. Council emphasized the need for a solution that enforces multiple code categories (not only environmental) and protects residents while minimizing costs.