City dumps sewer tap increase: Council reverses course; cost remains at $100 after builders make plea

When Ken Spoor found out city officials were considering charging developers $900 more to connect new homes to Seymour’s sewer system, he balked.

So did other local builders.

Contending the increase would hurt the fragile housing market, they banded together and made a plea to city council members Monday night to reconsider a proposed $1,000 sewer tap fee.

Earlier this month, the council voted 6-1 to approve the increase, which was included in an ordinance that also put stricter limits on industrial sewer discharge in order to meet federal environmental regulations.

However, after listening to builders’ concerns, the council unanimously agreed to eliminate the sewer tap fee increase, allowing it to remain $100 for the time being. The rest of the ordinance was passed on final reading.

Council member Lloyd Hudson said he agreed with builders that such a steep increase all at once would have a negative impact on the building market.

“That big of a jump in this economy is not a good idea,” he said.

Hudson said he would be more in favor of a smaller increase, as proposed earlier this month by council president Jim Rebber.

“We can always come up more if we don’t think it’s enough,” Hudson said.

Council member John Reinhart also agreed that $1,000 was too much of an increase.

“But I think we’ve been in the dark ages for too long,” he said of the $100 fee.

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