The LaGrange City Council held its first reading on updated towing costs for city directed towing services.

During the Nov. 27 LaGrange City Council meeting, Phillip Nations of Nations Unlimited requested that the council update the rates to reflect increased costs related to towing services. Tuesday night’s reading was a step in that update process.

“At the last council meeting, Phil Nations appeared and requested increases in the wrecker towing fees based on increased insurance rates,” City Manager Meg Kelsey said in the work session. “It had been 10 years since there has actually been a rate increase, so we sat down with him and the police department and went through what his recommendations were. We’ve prepared an ordinance to reflect what we’ve come into agreement with.”

That agreement shows an increase in the charge for towing vehicles at the city’s request from $100 to $150. The agreement also showed an increase from $10 a day to $20 a day for standard vehicle storage and from $20 to $40 for heavy vehicle storage when stored at the city’s request. 

The rates will apply exclusively to rates for vehicles towed under direction of the City of LaGrange, which the city council has the authority to set costs for. 

Kelsey said that Nations was satisfied with the changes.

Council Member Mark Mitchell asked if the LaGrange Police Department had been consulted for the recommendation regarding vehicle storage rates, and Kelsey confirmed that it had.

“If the police department is good with it, I’m good [with the updates],” Mitchell said.

Other items covered during the meeting included:

• The LaGrange City Council held a first reading to de-annex a property on Upper Big Springs Road back into the county at the request of the owner.
• The city council held a first reading on changes to zoning near the LaGrange Callaway Airport in order to remain compliant with Federal Aviation Administration guidelines. A public hearing on the changes will be held on Jan. 8 at 5:30 p.m. at 208 Ridley Avenue.
• Brad Turner, a citizen who lives on Ashford Circle, requested that the city address an ongoing storm water issue due to runoff from a neighboring development. He presented videos to the council showing the amount of storm water that is funneled toward his home, and Public Services Director Dion Senn explained how drains the city installed to prevent standing water at another location may be contributing to the problem. The council directed city staff to work with property owners to find a solution, and the possibility of a drainage easement, which would allow the city some control over the direction of the storm water, was mentioned but would require further action by both the city and property owners to institute.

The LaGrange City Council will meet again on Thursday, Dec. 20 at 5:30 p.m. at 208 Ridley Avenue. The upcoming meeting is on an altered date from the city’s usual meeting schedule because the fourth Tuesday of the month — when the council would usually meet — is Christmas Day.