Daphne approves hazardous duty pay for first-responders

City waives garbage fees for three months during outbreak

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DAPHNE – City officials approved hazard pay for first responders who have to deal with potential coronavirus patients and economic relief for citizens during the pandemic.

The Daphne City Council also voted Monday to waive solid waste fee for residents for three months.

The resolution also calls for an extra $3 an hour in coronavirus hazard pay for city first responders. The raise would go into effect on April 9 and be in effect for four weeks.

The money would go to police officers, jail corrections officers and non-civilian Fire Department personnel as compensation for having to having to deal with situations involving residents who might be infected with COVID 19.

The resolution also calls for a one-time payment of $250 to all public safety personnel.

Waiving garbage fees for three months would cost Daphne $388,500, according to city estimates. The city would transfer that amount from the General Fund to the Solid Waste Fund to make up for the lost revenue. The city’s Solid Waste Fee is $15.40 per month for each household being served.

The hazardous duty pay for first-responders would cost $69,800, according to city estimates. The one-time $250 payment will cost $27,500.

The city would also postpone sales tax filings for small businesses for three months. Businesses with average monthly retail sales of $62,500 or less can file sales tax returns for March, April and May without paying the taxes due. All sales taxes for those months would be due by July 15.

The resolution also calls for a single $50-permit fee on home remodeling activities to support the construction industry during the pandemic. The fee would cover building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits for projects with a value of up to $100,000.

The total cost of the cuts is estimated to be $485,800. The cost will be paid from $576,876 in revenue the city received this year after a court case against Daphne was overturned on appeal, according to the resolution.

The city has a reserve balance of $8.37 million.

Daphne, coronavirus, COVID 19