Tuscola City council waives liquor license fees for 2021

By Kendra Hennis 
The meeting of the Tuscola city council was called to order at 7:30 p.m. on January 11 with all members present.

Following the approval of the consent agenda, Mayor Dan Kleiss gave his report. Kleiss reported that the Douglas County Health Department would begin using the Community Center to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine. Kleiss said he hopes the vaccine gets used quite a bit by people and that we are able to get more vaccines available and more community members vaccinated.

The council then approved amending section 111.21 of the City of Tuscola Code of Ordinances and waiving fees for liquor licenses in good standing as of January 1, 2021. Article three of the ordinance states “in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic and the economic hardships associated therewith, all 2021 liquor license fees for all class of licenses shall be rebated in full to those licenses who are in good standing as of January 1, 2021. The City Treasurer is hereby authorized and directed to issue rebates of those fees already paid to said licenses as soon as possible.” Kleiss said that the council decided to do this in hopes that it would be a way to help small businesses in Tuscola. 

The council also:
* Approved the previous minutes of the December 28 meeting.

* Approved the payment of bills in the amount of $160,212.72.

* Approved Girl Scout Troop #2790 request for permission to construct a lending sled box at Wimple Hill. 

* Congratulated City Treasurer Alta Long for 20 years with the City of Tuscola. 

* Approved amending the Section 125 Plan to eliminate the Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account. Long explained that the plan has essentially been replaced by the Health Savings Account and that the city has been paying unnecessary fees so it is time to terminate it.  

* Adjourned at 7:44 p.m. until the January 25 council meeting at 7:30 p.m.