The Preston City Council voted 3‑1 to table further action on the city’s fire‑suppression connection fee and to request updated calculations from city engineers.

Council members debated whether the $28,000 fee (and related higher charges for larger lines) reflects the actual cost to connect to and maintain the water system or whether it creates a barrier for redevelopment and new business downtown. The fee has been the subject of prior reviews: council packets referenced an April 2023 engineer calculation and a reaffirmation of the fee in October 2024.

Councilman Todd Thomas urged a substantial reduction, saying the fee can act as an obstacle to development and suggested cutting it in half. “What I’m actually kind of suggesting…is just to change it from a reduction from $28,000 to $14,000 — cut it in half,” Thomas said during the discussion.

Opponents of a sharp cut argued reducing the fee would shift capital replacement costs to existing ratepayers and could create legal or equity concerns for businesses that already paid the higher fees. One council member said cutting the fee would “make our citizens become the backstop to private development.” City staff and the city attorney cited Idaho Code §63 (fee‑related authority) and prior engineering documentation supporting the current methodology.

Rather than adopt an immediate change, the council voted to pause action and asked staff to obtain an updated independent calculation from Keller & Associates for the council’s fee schedule review. The motion to table carries a 3‑1 vote; council members noted the issue will be revisited when the full fee schedule resolution is considered later this year. Staff said Keller & Associates will be asked to update the April 2023 analysis and return recommendations to council ahead of the scheduled fee‑resolution discussion.