Some fees rise in Pocomoke fiscal plan

Taxes were set to remain the same in the 2011 budget, but some other fees are expected to rise.

The Pocomoke City mayor and council passed the $10 million budget, leaving the tax rate at the same level property owners paid for the past year -- 75 cents per $100 of assessed value on homes, 76 cents per $100 for other real estate.

Fees and charges that affect a majority of residents, such as water and sewer charges, will also remain the same.

Some fees, such as hearing fees and dock fees, are scheduled to increase.

A new ordinance which will impose a penalty for repeated false alarms has been studied and given the OK for a subsequent hearing.

According to City Manager Russell W. Blake, the Pocomoke Police Department responded to 180 false alarms in the past six months, an average of one per day. The fire and ambulance departments have also been hit by numerous false alarms.

The proposed ordinance would allow three violations within a calendar year. The fourth violation would result in a fine of $25 for residential alarms and the fifth violation would call for a $50 fine. Any commercial site that has a fourth alarm within the calendar year would be given a $50 fine and a $100 fine for the fifth alarm.

The council is considering renewing an agreement with a gas company.

Steve Ashcraft, vice-president of Eastern Shore Gas Co., met with the Council to request renewal of the gas company's franchise agreement. The 11-year agreement runs out in October.

VIA: DelmarvaNow.com