Arlington, TX

When the city raised storm water fees by a phenomenal amount this past summer, Arlington school superintendent Mac Bernd called the increase “unconscionable” and refused to pay. The city threatened to turn off water to the schools and the district was considering a lawsuit.

The city caved and at last night’s City Council meeting, voted to exempt all local school districts from paying the fees. City leaders say they hope this will help to reopen communication with the school district so they can concentrate on more important issues,  such as gang violence.

The fee increase, which was implemented on October 1, would have cost the school district an estimated $110,000 more this year. The AISD had been paying about $6,000 a month. Since the increase, the school district has withheld the storm-water fee payment, setting the money aside in an escrow account, and has paid the rest of their water bill. 

Other items approved at the City Council meeting included:

• Spend $1.6 million to dredge the west pond north of Randol Mill Road by the Ballpark and part of the channel south of Randol Mill that leads to the pond.
• Spend $200,000 to update zoning regulations.
• Begin bidding on gas leases on 274 acres of city-owned land, including Rush Creek Linear Park and Veterans Park.
• Spend $153,000 to maintain medians and rights of way in the entertainment district and $113,000 for grounds maintenance, such as mowing, on city-owned land.
• Create a tax increment financing district around the Viridian project planned for far north Arlington.

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