[Adopted 4-28-2014;[1] effective 5-23-2014]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also superseded
former Article III, Fee Waivers, adopted 2-10-1997, effective 3-8-1997,
as amended.
This article shall be known and may be cited
as the "Town of Mansfield Fee Waivers Ordinance."
It is the Town's intention to encourage participation in municipal
programs and to provide services to all residents of the Town regardless
of their financial status.
A.
This subsection shall apply to all of the services subject to this article and set forth in § 122-10. The eligibility criteria set forth in this subsection may be changed by resolution of the Town Council.
B.
Residency. The primary residence of fee waiver applicants
must be located in the Town of Mansfield. "Primary residence" means
that the applicant resides in Mansfield for more than six months during
the course of a fiscal year. At the time of their application to the
fee waiver program, applicants must demonstrate that they have resided
in Mansfield for more than six months during the past year.
C.
Fee waiver of 75%. Applicable fees not reimbursed by a third party will be reduced by 75% for residents of the Town of Mansfield who meet the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) definition of “extremely low income” for Mansfield residents based upon income and number of persons who reside in the household. Income is defined in § 122-6.
D.
Fee waiver of 50%. Applicable fees not reimbursed by a third party will be reduced by 50% for residents of the Town of Mansfield who meet the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) definition of “very low income” for Mansfield residents based upon income and number of persons who reside in the household. Income is defined in § 122-6.
F.
Maximum
amounts. Maximum limits will be placed on the value of fee waivers
granted to eligible households per fiscal year. Maximum limits based
on household size will be set by resolution of the Town Council and
may be adjusted from time to time. Once the fiscal year budgeted allocation
for the fee waiver program has been completely expended, the Town
Manager is authorized to suspend the program. The program may be reinstated
for the suspended fiscal year if additional funds are appropriated
by the Town Council.
A.
Any requests
for a fee waiver must be made on a Town of Mansfield application form.
Eligibility is determined on an annual basis. Annual basis is defined
as a fiscal year basis, July 1 to June 30. Applicants will be required
to provide documentation demonstrating residency, such as recent utility
bills, a driver’s license, or other documentation as requested
by the Town.
B.
Applicants
must provide documentation showing all sources of income for all persons
who reside in the household. Sources of income may include but are
not limited to: wages; workers' compensation payments; unemployment
compensation; social security payments; pension payments; rental income;
alimony payments; child support payments; disability benefits; veterans
benefits; earnings from investments. To document sources of income,
applicants will be required to submit federal income tax returns,
and any other documentation as requested for all persons domiciled
in the household.
C.
The application
shall be signed by the applicant under penalty of false statement
as punishable by Connecticut General Statutes Section 53a-157b,
which shall be noted on the application adjacent to the space designated
for the signature of the applicant.
The information on the application may be verified
by Town officials at any time during the year. If it is determined
that an applicant has provided false and/or misleading information
and/or has purposely withheld information from his/her application,
the applicant will be denied participation in the program for that
fiscal year.
Waivers need to be reinstituted on a yearly basis unless circumstances warrant a more frequent review. Any changes in family size or household income must be reported immediately to the Town agency responsible for administering the Fee Waiver Ordinance. Changes in participant eligibility factors as set forth in §122-5 can affect eligibility for the fee waiver program, such as having eligibility status terminated until later application is approved.
A.
Certain
documentation submitted by applicants may be subject to disclosure
in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. Only documents
or information required to be disclosed by state or federal law will
be released to the requesting individual, agency, or other entity.
B.
Applications
shall not be returned to the applicant, but will remain on file for
at least two years following the close of the fiscal year (June 30)
in which the applicant applied, after which they may be destroyed
once approval has been received from the State Records Administrator.
The following services are subject to this article:
A.
Parks and Recreation programs, including Community
Center memberships.
(1)
Exclusions.
The following exclusions apply: materials fees; bus/van trips; programs
not directly provided by the Town, such as but not limited to youth
sports operated by nonprofit organizations or other public agencies.
B.
(Reserved)
C.
(Reserved)
D.
Residential refuse collection fees. All Transfer Station
fees are excluded from this provision except for the fee for the disposal
of residential refuse in thirty-five gallon garbage bags.
E.
Ambulance fees.
F.
Human Services programs.
(1)
Exclusions.
The following exclusions apply: bus/van trips; wellness and medical
care services such as but not limited to podiatry, massage therapy,
and health screenings that are offered at Town facilities but conducted
by a third party that charges fees for service; programs and trips
not directly provided by the Town such as but not limited to programs
and trips operated by the Mansfield Senior Center Association, nonprofit
organizations, or other public agencies.
