CLAYTON — After reviewing the current Clayton Fire Department fee schedule authorized in April 2014, Fire Chief Brian Garver recommended eliminating certain charges for specific fire department services and recommended specific fee increases.

The fees delineated below by bullet points are deleted from the current fire department fee schedule:

• The construction permit for the installation of, or modification, to an automatic fire extinguishing system, including underground and fire department connections.

1. Sprinkler system (per riser) $150 ($1.50 per device).

2. Kitchen hood system $150.

3. Alternative suppression system $150 ($1.50 per device).

A fee of $150 remains in place for water line testing and bag tests at $150.

• Fire Alarm and Detection Systems: Construction permit for installation of, or modification to a fire alarm and detection system and related equipment. $150 ($1.50 per device).

• Fire Pumps: Construction permit for installation of, or modification to fire pumps and related fuel tanks, jockey pumps, controllers, and generators, (Permit required in addition to other automatic fire extinguishing system construction permits. $100.

• Standpipe System (standalone systems: Construction permit for the installation, modification, or removal from service of a standpipe system. (Permit required in addition to other automatic fire extinguishing system construction permits. $100.

A fee remains in place for Temporary Membrane Structures, Tents and Canopies – Construction permit to erect and air-supported temporary structure or tent. $50 first tent. $25 for each additional tent.

• Tenant fit-up – Permit for the change is business, review of use for the building and final inspection of the changes or moving of equipment or furniture inside the building. $100.

Remaining in place:

A fee of $150 for failure to secure permit – beginning work or maintaining an operation requiring any permits adopted by the City of Clayton Fire Department may be double the permit fee. A stop work order shall be issued until payment is received and permit issued.

Re-inspection – If any of the above mentioned inspections need to be re-inspected the re-inspections may be subject to an additional fee. $75 for first re-inspection. $75 incremental increase for each additional inspection needed.

“Several years ago, we approved a fee schedule for the fire department for all the different testing and things that we do,” Garver said. “Back then, our building department was Montgomery County. We received no monies from Montgomery County when we did this, so we wanted to put our own fees involved in that when it was appropriate.”

Now that Clayton has established its own building department the fire department receives a percentage of the fees paid.

“So, I don’t think that it is right on our side to double-fee anybody, except for when it is appropriate for when the building department is not involved,” Garver noted. “We eliminated most of our fees, except for certain ones like testing of water mains and things like that. Our building department is not involved in that section.”

The fire department would continue to collect fees for re-inspections if an entity is not coming into compliance and is using the fire department to test their system.

Fireworks fees are also kept in place. If a group is putting on a fireworks display the fire department has to be on site for those displays.

“As you can see the fees are not very large. It’s not like we are making a lot of money off of it,” Garver said. “Most of it is used to force people to let us know what they are doing, especially on the fireworks side and the tents. We are actually decreasing the amount of permit fees that we had in order to be fair.”

“Well, that’s refreshing,” said Mayor Mike Stevens. “You don’t hear that very often.”

Council also passed a resolution to establish rates and fees at Meadowbrook at Clayton for both the golf course and banquet facility for 2023. The golf course fees were last amended in 2019.

Due to increased costs for supplies and fuel there will be a slight increase in pass costs and greens fees ($2), which only affects non-city residents. There is an increase for greens fees for residents but only on Saturday and Sunday before 1 p.m., which increases by one dollar.

Banquet facility rates were last changed in 2022 when the city took over operation after the outside caterer left. The city made upgrades to the facility. Rates increased between $50 and $250 depending on the day of the week and time that an event would be held.

Councilman Ken Henning, Jr., said that his research showed rates at other area facilities are three times more expensive than what the city charges for use of the banquet facility.

“I think it’s important that we stay lower than our competitors,” Mayor Stevens commented.

Reach Ron Nunnari at (937) 684-9124 or email [email protected].