Jan. 20—ROCHESTER — A potential natural gas franchise fee will will be the subject for planned outreach throughout a variety of community listening sessions.
City residents, businesses and community stakeholders are being invited to learn more about potential fees and share their feedback.
If adopted, natural gas franchise fees could help support local environmental priorities and expand programs that deliver direct benefits to households and businesses. No decision has been made yet; and public input is expected to help determine whether the fee moves forward and how any resulting revenue might be used.
Rochester City Council members voiced varying levels of support for the potential fee during a November discussion regarding planned community outreach, which stemmed from a September budget discussion.
City staff has prepared information regarding the fee proposals, which is available online at www.RochesterMN.gov/FranchiseFee.
“We want the community’s voice to shape this conversation,” Sustainability Coordinator Kayla Bezold, said in a statement announcing the upcoming listening sessions. “We want residents to fully understand franchise fees and their potential impacts. By sharing their feedback, the community can help the City Council make an informed decision aligned with community values.”
Under Minnesota law, cities can collect a franchise fee from utility providers in exchange for use of public rights-of-way. In Rochester’s case, this fee would appear as a separate, labeled line on natural gas bills from Minnesota Energy Resources and would be remitted to the city.
If supported by the City Council, a natural gas franchise fee could provide Rochester with a stable, local funding source to support community-focused programs and municipal priorities. Proposals have included initiatives to help improve energy efficiency, indoor comfort, reduce long-term energy costs and advance environmental stewardship, while reducing reliance on property taxes for these services.
Community listening sessions are set for:
* Noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, online with registration available at https://tinyurl.com/yjsp6bd3
* 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, in-person in the Rochester Public Library, 101 Second St. SE.
* 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, online with registration at https://tinyurl.com/mtaye9r8
Listening sessions catered to the business community are set for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, in the American Legion room of Mayo Civic Center, 30 Civic Center Drive SE, and from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6 in a virtual session that is available by registering at https://tinyurl.com/kepzvd6m.
