The City of Sweetwater is considering increasing court costs charged for speeding tickets and other fines.

During Monday's February workshop, City Recorder Jessica Morgan told city commissioners the city had not raised the court costs since 1993. Morgan said the current $61 court costs assessed with traffic and other tickets, including city code offenses, is low compared to nearby cities the same size.
She suggested commissioners raise court costs to $100 and will draft an ordinance for their approval on two ordinance readings.

The city currently drops the court costs if people pay their fine before they appear in City Court. But under the latest proposal, court costs would still be accessed along with the price of the ticket because the city still has to pay staff to handle the bookkeeping associated with tickets.
A $40 speeding ticket would cost $140 under the proposal with the court costs whether the person pays the fine before going to court or if the person ticketed is found guilty.

In Monday's workshop, commissioners discussed payment options for the rescue-pumper fire truck purchased a couple of years ago. The truck cost $335,000. Morgan said the modified balloon loan will revert in July to the current Treasury Bill rate, which has been running 2.2 percent to 2.6 percent.
The commission seemed inclined Monday to not look at re-financing options because of the very low T-Bill rates.

The commissioners Monday began looking over the proposed five-year Capitol Improvement Plan.
The commission is required by the city's charter to adopt the plan each year. The plan lays out goals for capitol projects if funding is available. The commission is not bound to pay for the projects outlined in the CIP if money is not available.

The Sweetwater Mayor and Board of Commissioners will meet in regular voting session at 7 p.m. on March 1 at City Hall.

tommy.millsaps@advocateanddemocrat.com | 337-7101