City Suspends Annual Fee Increases for One Year

City of Roseburg Suspends Annual Fee Increases for One Year

Roseburg, OR – At their regular City Council meeting, on May 11, 2020, the City Council passed Resolution No. 2020-07, which delays annual fee increases to next year. City leadership determined that this is the best course of action to help residents, who are feeling the pressure of the economic hardship caused by COVID-19.

Mayor Larry Rich comments on the passage of the resolution. “Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the City Council has decided to suspend this year’s annual rate increase for utilities,” says Rich.

The City of Roseburg, historically, takes action each May or June to make fee adjustments to utilities such as water and storm drainage, which would go into effect on either July 1, 2020 or on January 1, 2021. City staff, at the April 27, 2020 Council meeting, approached Council to discuss if such action was appropriate, given the current COVID-19 pandemic. After discussion, Council recommended staff draft a Resolution, which would delay the consideration of fee increases to May 2021.  

Starting July 1, 2020, there will be no rate increases to the following services for one year:

• Water utilities
• Storm drainage
• System development charges
• Airport lease rentals
• Fire inspections

Finance Director, Ron Harker, comments on how the suspension of the fee increases will affect the City’s budget for Fiscal Year 20-21. “The deferral of the service rate increases will not significantly impact the City’s budget for next fiscal year,” says Harker. “Fortunately, our City is in a healthy financial state which Moody’s recognized when they confirmed the City’s Aa3 rating in which they did not perceive any material risk despite the coronavirus outbreak.  We are in a good position to defer rate increases while continuing to offer essential services to our community.”

For more information, please contact the City of Roseburg at 541-492-6700 or email info@cityofroseburg.org.