BRONSON, MI (WTVB) – The Bronson City Council approved a resolution on Monday night which raises some of the fees for the city’s rental property inspection program.
City Manager Brandon Mersman said in his report to the Council that an increase in revenue was necessary to cover current expenses and the costs associated with its contract with SAFEbuilt.
According to Mersman, the fees established when the program started in 2018 and are no longer sufficient to fund the program’s operations. He says the proposed adjustment would bring Bronson’s rates closer to market standards, as many other Michigan cities charge similar or higher fees for initial inspections and re-inspections.
The annual rental registration would increase by ten dollars to 35 dollars a unit.
The city is also increasing fines for non-compliance. The first late registration fee will go up to 50 dollars. Notices to vacant will also go up to $150. Tickets will also rise to $200.
Mersman feels the increases to the late registration fee and ticket amounts will serve as a more effective deterrent for landlords who do not adhere to the ordinance.
In other business, the Council adopted a resolution which formally accepted a Michigan DNR Trust Fund Grant for $387,600 which requires an equal local match for a total of $775,200 toward the Bronson Rail Trail project.
The Council also approved the hiring of Penny Marot-George to be the city’s next Clerk/Treasurer. She takes over for Tricia Rzepka who left after accepting a job with Branch County government.
Marot-George will start on December 22. She most recently served as a financial analyst for Meridian Magnesium Products of America.
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