The Newton City Council has made a minor adjustment to proposed Franchise Fees that would be added to electric and gas bills as a way to generate additional city revenue, in the face of state legislative parameters being put on property taxes. Monday night, Newton City Council members were considering a 3% franchise fee initially, followed by a 4% fee in the second year and a 5% fee in year three. Due to public feedback about the new fee, Second Ward Council Member Melissa Dalton proposed a lower initial increase of 2% while keeping the 4% and 5% charges.

“It’s a few years down the road, as far as the projections go, that we are going to run into trouble. Maybe starting with a lesser fee will give residents a little softer introduction to having this charge on their bills.”

The other five council members unanimously supported Dalton’s suggestion. So public hearings on the proposed 2%, 4%, and 5% fees will be held at the next Newton City Council meeting on March 16th.

In other business Monday night, the Newton City Council passed the first reading of an ordinance that would allow chickens and ducks to be kept on certain sized residential lots in town as long as other restrictions are followed, and heard an update on operations within the Jasper County Emergency Management Agency by Director Jamey Robinson.