The Knoxville City Council discussed the possibility of implementing a stormwater utility fee during a special session Thursday.

Several residents have reported damage to their property due to flooding caused by stormwater runoff and repairs to the city’s retention system need to be made.

Kyle Riley with Snyder & Associates says that if the city implements a utility fee, they would be eligible for match-dollar grants to help fund the repairs and can bond against the fee to get projects started quicker.

Riley says 86 communities in Iowa have storm water utility fees, the largest being Des Moines at $10.95 a month.

The council directed city staff to come up with a table of possible fees and how much would be earned from them, along with a list of priority projects and how much they’ll cost.