NL Council Considers Building Permit Fees

The New London City Council met in regular session on March 10, 2025 with all members present. They approved the agenda, the consent agenda, and no one addressed the council in open forum.

In reports, Councilman Berner informed the council that the child care center had its 20-year anniversary open house last weekend and it was well attended.

Having no old business, the council took up new business. They passed resolution #449-distribution of the preliminary official statement.

The council discussed the continuation of the extension of the storm sewer pipe west of Easy St. The mayor said that this would finish the piece started several years ago plus the dirt from phase three of the subdivision could be used to cover the pipe. The council requested some plans for the project before approving it. Public Works Director Mike Phillips Jr. will get a quote from Fye Excavating for the work.

After some discussion, the council approved the purchase of 100 chairs for the Community Center at $27 apiece.

The next item up for discussion was the adoption of an ordinance for portable storage containers. The council reviewed two examples of ordinances. They had concerns about each. They debated whether they wanted to allow portable storage containers. No action was taken.

Permit fees for the proposed building code and the appropriate amount to charge for the permit and inspection was discussed next. It is important the fee to cover the permit and inspection process. The council felt that $1,000 was the maximum anyone should pay for a building permit. They also discussed fees for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC permits. The council would like Jack Swarm to be in attendance at the next meeting to explain the fees charged by the City and his costs to do the necessary inspections.

As is the utility board, the council is interested in GSI mapping with French Reneker Associates. The mayor and department heads had a demonstration of how the software would map out the city’s sanitary sewer mains and the utility’s water mains with GPS coordinates. This information would be available to the employees on their cellphone. The estimated cost is $10,000 for the sewer and $15,000 for the water. The council is interested and thinks the cost savings of completing the project with the utility would be beneficial.

The meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m. The next meeting of the New London City Council will be a special meeting on March 25, 2025 at 6 p.m. at the City office. The next regular meeting will be April 14, 2025 at 6 p.m. at the City office.