CHAPTER 30
GENERAL CITY POLICIES
Section
30.02 Fee schedule for copies and documents
30.03 Collection of fee for non-sufficient fund checks
30.04 Charges imposed for inspection services
30.05 Equipment and labor rates for non-city projects
30.06 Use of city fire hydrant meters
30.07 Cellular telephone policy for city employees
30.01 RESERVED.
30.02 FEE SCHEDULE FOR COPIES AND DOCUMENTS.
(A) The following fee schedule is hereby adopted and the Clerk-Treasurer’s Office, as well as other city officials, are hereby required to charge for the following list of items:
|
Copies |
single sided 8 1/2" by 11" |
$.10 per sheet |
|
|
double sided 8 1/2" by 11" |
$.20 per sheet |
|
|
single sided legal |
$.35 per sheet |
|
|
double sided legal |
$.40 per sheet |
|
|
single sided 11" by 17" |
$.50 per sheet |
|
|
double sided 11" by 17" |
$.55 per sheet |
|
City Map |
picked up at city office |
$15.00 |
|
|
to be mailed by regular United States mail |
$17.00 |
|
Copy of drainage ordinance |
$15.50 |
|
|
Copy of subdivision ordinance |
$9.10 |
|
|
Copy of zoning map |
$15.00 |
|
|
Copy of zoning ordinance |
$16.25 |
|
|
Copy of the standard specification for water, sewer, curbs, streets and sidewalks, etc. |
$20.00 |
|
|
Copy of building or other plan documents 24" by 36" |
$10.00 |
|
|
Copy of building or other plan documents 36" by 48" |
$15.00 |
|
|
Application, including legal advertisement for public hearing for Plan Commission and/or Board of Zoning Appeals |
|
|
|
Plan Commission Fees: |
|
|
|
Rezoning: |
$100.00 |
|
|
Subdivision Applications: |
|
|
|
(Primary/Secondary) |
|
|
|
Minor |
$100.00 |
|
|
Major |
$150.00 |
|
|
Planned Unit Development |
$150.00 |
|
|
Board of Zoning Appeals Fees: |
|
|
|
Appeals: |
$100.00 |
|
|
Variance of Use: |
$100.00 |
|
|
Variance of Development Standards: |
$100.00 |
|
|
Special Use/Special Exception: |
$100.00 |
|
|
Legal advertisement for proposed annexation |
$35.00 |
|
|
Legal advertisement for proposed tax abatement or related waiver of noncompliance |
$35.00 |
|
|
Legal advertisement for proposed vacation of municipal property |
$35.00 plus cost of certified mailings |
|
(B) As applicable, the Police Department and the Fire Department may charge the following fees for the following services:
|
Fire Reports |
$12.00 |
|
Medical Reports |
$12.00 |
|
Accident Reports |
$12.00 |
|
Case Reports |
$5.00 |
|
Photos |
$10.00 |
|
Videos |
$10.00 |
|
Background Checks |
$5.00 |
|
CAD/Log Copies |
$.10 per page |
|
Fingerprints |
$5.00 first 2 cards/$5.00 per additional card |
|
VIN Checks |
$5.00 payment must be made at Police Department prior to the check. Checks will be performed between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Outside of those hours, checks will be performed by appointment only. |
|
Salvage Checks |
$5.00 |
(1994 Code, § 30.02) (Ord. 97-1692, passed 4-28-1997; Am. Ord. 98-1716, passed 5-26-1998; Am. Ord. 99-1737, passed 5-24-1999; Am. Ord. 2002-1813, passed 4-8-2002; Am. Ord. 2018-2138, passed 7-23-2018; Am. Ord. 2023-2213, passed 5-8-2023)
30.03 COLLECTION OF FEE FOR NON-SUFFICIENT FUND CHECKS.
(A) Any check issued to the city in payment of charges or fees that is returned to the city and dishonored because of non-sufficient funds in the issuer’s bank account, or because of a closed account, shall result in a fee charged to that person and added to the amount already owed to the city by that person. The additional fee shall be called the NSF fee, and shall be the greater of:
(1) Twenty-seven dollars and fifty cents; or
(2) Five percent of the amount of the dishonored check, not to exceed $250.
(B) The NSF fee shall be in addition to any protest fees that may be levied against the city by a financial institution because the city negotiated an NSF check.
(C) Upon the return of a dishonored check to the city, the Clerk-Treasurer’s Office shall mail to the issuer of the check a notice that the check has not been paid by a financial institution. This notice shall be deposited in the regular United States mail, with proper postage affixed, and addressed to either:
(1) The address printed on the check; or
(2) The address given by the person in writing to the city at the time the check was issued or delivered.
(D) The notice shall include a statement that the person has 10 days after the date of mailing the notice to pay the amount of the check, together with protest fees and the NSF fee.
(E) Pursuant to I.C. 36-1-8-13, should the person who issued the NSF check fail to pay to the city the amounts prescribed by this section, the Office of the Clerk-Treasurer shall, not later than 90 days after the check is initially received by the city, refer the matter to the Office of the Marshall County Prosecuting Attorney for prosecution.
(Ord. 2008-1976, passed 11-24-2008)
30.04 CHARGES IMPOSED FOR INSPECTION SERVICES.
(A) Developers who are building infrastructure improvements for which the responsibility of maintenance will ultimately be transferred to the city shall construct those improvements in accordance with city specifications as the same exist at the time of construction approval. Developers making such improvements shall be charged for inspection services as the infrastructure improvements are being built. The type of inspection services, if any, shall be at the sole discretion of the particular department head, and may include but are not limited to the following:
(1) Waterline distribution system placement, $1 per foot ($500 minimum);
(2) Sewerline distribution system placement, $1 per foot ($500 minimum);
(3) Waterline pressure test;
(4) Sewerline pressure test;
(5) Contamination testing;
(6) Compaction of backfill tests;
(7) Compaction of roadway, including base and subbase and asphalt surface;
(8) Complete electrical inspection;
(9) Road and traffic sign inspection;
(10) Concrete curb and gutter inspection.
(B) Except as otherwise noted above, developers will be billed the actual cost of inspection services incurred by the city. Except as otherwise noted above, if a city employee is used for inspection services, the cost will be not less than $45 per hour.
(C) Notwithstanding the above, any bill for inspection services may be appealed to the respective board having jurisdiction over the particular improvement. Said board shall have final say on the charges, if any, to be imposed.
(D) The applicable department head shall advise the Clerk-Treasurer’s Office of any such fees identified above when due for billing and collection.
(1994 Code, § 30.04) (Ord. 96-1656, passed 4-8-1996; Am. Ord. 2018-2138, passed 7-23-2018)
30.05 EQUIPMENT AND LABOR RATES FOR NON-CITY PROJECTS.
(A) For purposes of this section, non-city projects means any construction or real estate improvement project of any kind which is not undertaken by the city either by itself or in conjunction with some other public entity.
(B) Where it becomes necessary or appropriate for the city to do work associated with non-city projects, a minimum charge of 2 hours shall be imposed for all city employees utilized on each such project at the employee’s regular hourly rate of pay (adjusted to reflect total compensation of benefits, etc.) and all times in excess of 2 hours shall be billed at said hourly rate. Said charges shall be billed to the contractor or other person or entity who requests such work. (Such work shall include, but not be limited to, water main taps and sewer line taps.)
(C) The use of any equipment shall be billed at the rates then published under the most recent Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Schedule of Equipment Rates, or other similar document issued by FEMA or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
(Ord. 2018-2138, passed 7-23-2018; Am. Ord. 2018-2144, passed 12-26-2018)
30.06 USE OF CITY FIRE HYDRANT METERS.
(A) Any person or entity desiring to utilize 1 of the department’s fire hydrant meters shall pay a $5 paperwork charge plus a $5 meter and backflow device maintenance surcharge which shall cover accuracy checks, minor repairs, backflow testing and maintenance.
(B) Any person or entity desiring to use 1 of the department’s fire hydrant meters shall complete an agreement on the department’s form.
(C) If such equipment is returned after it is due back under the agreement, $5 per day rental shall be assessed for all time after the due date that the equipment is held. If a borrower of equipment knows that it will be returned late, however, he or she may call prior to the due date and have the due date extended.
(D) In addition to the above, any person or entity wishing to use 1 of the department’s fire hydrant meters, plus backflow preventer, shall pay a deposit of $1,000 for 1, 2 1/2 or 3 inches, and $300 for 5/8 or 3/4 inch. The deposit shall be returned to the person or entity by whom it was paid upon the return of the fire hydrant meter and backflow preventer in undamaged condition. If the meter is not returned within 15 days of the completion of the project for which it was checked out, the deposit shall be forfeited and paid into the city’s Water Department’s depreciation account for meters.
(E) The privileges of anyone, having checked out 1 of the department’s fire hydrant meters, who violates this policy shall be suspended and may not be reinstated until they pay a $50 deposit in addition to all of the above in order to again use 1 of the department’s fire hydrant meters.
(F) No fire hydrant meters will be used for purposes other than construction. Fire hydrant meters will absolutely not be allowed for purposes of swimming pool filling and the like.
(G) Deposits and rental shall be paid to the Clerk-Treasurer at the City Office. Deposits shall be returned only when the meter, backflow preventer and hydrant wrench are returned in undamaged condition and that all rental is therefore paid in full. In the event that any of said items are returned in damaged condition, then an amount shall be deducted from the deposit sufficient to repair said damage.
(1994 Code, § 30.06) (Ord. 2002-1820, passed 8-26-2002)
30.07 CELLULAR TELEPHONE POLICY FOR CITY EMPLOYEES.
This policy details the use of personal cellular telephones at work, the personal use of business cellular telephones, and the safe use of cellular telephones by employees while driving:
(A) Personal cellular telephones.
(1) While at work employees are expected to exercise the same discretion in the use of personal cellular telephones as is expected for the use of other City of Plymouth telephones. Excessive personal calls during the workday, regardless of the telephone used, can interfere with employee productivity and can be distracting to others. A reasonable standard the city encourages is to limit personal calls during work time. Employees are therefore expected to make personal calls only on non-work time where possible and to ensure that friends and family members are aware of this policy. Flexibility will be provided in circumstances demanding immediate attention.
(2) The city is not liable for the loss of personal cellular telephones brought into the workplace.
(B) Personal use of City of Plymouth provided cellular telephones.
(1) Where job or business needs demand immediate access to an employee, the city may issue a business cellular telephone to an employee for work related communications. In order to protect the employee from incurring a tax liability for the personal use of this equipment, such telephones are to be used for business reasons only. Telephone logs may be audited regularly to ensure no unauthorized use has occurred. Department heads are responsible for monitoring usage of department cellular telephones.
(2) Generally, telephone plans paid for by the city have a limited number of monthly minutes and do not provide for texting without an extra charge. Employees entrusted with a city telephone shall reimburse the city for any charges incurred related to personal calls or text messaging.
(3) Employees in possession of city equipment such as cellular telephones are expected to protect the equipment from loss, damage or theft. Upon resignation or termination of employment, or at any time upon request, the employee may be asked to produce the telephone for return or inspection. Employees unable to present the telephone in good working condition within 24 hours may expect to be charged the cost of a replacement.
(4) Employees who separate from employment with outstanding debts for equipment loss or unauthorized charges are expected to agree to reimburse the city or authorize a payroll deduction from his/her last paycheck for the loss. Otherwise, the employee will be considered to have left employment on unsatisfactory terms and may be subject to legal action for recovery of the loss.
(C) Safety issues for cellular telephone use. (This division does not apply to Plymouth police officers if the officer is on an emergency call or if the officer is in jeopardy of losing sight of a suspect or a suspect’s vehicle.)
(1) Employees with job responsibilities that include regular or occasional driving and who are issued a cellular telephone for business use are expected to refrain from using telephones while driving. Safety must come before all other concerns. Regardless of the circumstances, including slow or stopped traffic, employees are strongly encouraged to pull off to the side of the road and safely stop the vehicle before placing or accepting a telephone call. If acceptance of a call is unavoidable and pulling over is not an option, employees are expected to keep the duration of the call brief, use hands-free options if available, refrain from complicated or emotional subject matters and keep one’s attention on the road. Special care should be taken in situations where traffic is heavy, inclement weather is present, or the employee is driving in an unfamiliar area.
(2) Employees whose job responsibilities do not specifically include driving as an essential function, but who are issued a cellular telephone for business use or use a personal cellular telephone while on city work time, are also expected to abide by the provisions detailed above. Under no circumstances are employees allowed to place themselves at risk fulfilling business needs.
(3) Employees charged with traffic violations resulting from the use of cellular telephones while operating a city vehicle will be solely responsible for all liabilities from said violation.
(D) Special responsibilities for management. As with any policy, management is expected to serve as role models for proper compliance with the provisions of this policy and are encouraged to regularly remind employees of their responsibility to abide by said policy as well.
(Ord. 2010-2004, passed 4-26-2010)
30.08 BIENNIAL FEE REVIEW.
Beginning in 2021, and every 2 years thereafter, the Common Council, in consultation with the Mayor, the Clerk-Treasurer, and the city department heads, shall conduct a comprehensive review of all fees and rates then charged for goods and services provided by the city. Considering the results of the review, the Common Council shall consider whether any adjustment to such rates and fees is merited.
(Ord. 2018-2138, passed 7-23-2018)