The Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO) succeeded in its efforts to persuade a remote Texas city to stop assessing RV parks a monthly water surcharge of $35 per site, according to a press release.
The city of Olney had been collecting the fee since 2022 to help fund improvements to the city’s 102-year-old water treatment plant, but Over Yonder RV Park objected to the fee and asked TACO to intervene.
TACO directed the association’s legal counsel to challenge the surcharge, and the Olney City Council agreed to drop the fee during its Sept. 9 meeting.
“The City Council voted to stop collecting the surcharge for those businesses with guests staying under 30 days,” said Brian Schaeffer, TACO’s executive director and CEO.
Christine Taylor, from The Towne Law Firm, P.C., in Albany, N.Y. represented TACO and Over Yonder RV Park and informed the city in a July 8 letter that the surcharge was illegal.
“We are writing to inform you that Texas law changed at the end of 2023, and campgrounds who receive non-submetered master metered utility services, like Over Yonder, are exempt from administrative charges on their water bill,” Taylor wrote, adding, “We are writing in hopes of resolving this matter in a way that is amicable to both parties.”
Taylor stated that “Over Yonder should be exempt from the administrative fee that has been continually added to their utility bill.”
Taylor proposed that the city of Olney “keep the money they have already collected via administrative charges on Over Yonder’s past utility bills, as long as they cease charging them for the same from here on out.”
TACO also submitted a letter from State Rep. Ryan Guillen, who sponsored legislation that requires RV parks and campgrounds to be charged for water utility services based on the actual amount of water used, as required by S.B. 1268 that was passed by the Texas Legislature during the 83rd Regular session. Rep. Guillen specifically stated: “The intent of the bill was to correct a disparity in the water and wastewater rates paid by RV parks relative to the rates charged to similar commercial entities within their communities.”
Marla Pollitt, owner of Over Yonder RV Park, said she was grateful for TACO’s efforts.
“Without the help of TACO, this city would not have stopped these charges,” Pollitt said, adding, “I am grateful to be a part of TACO and would have been out so much more money trying to fight these charges (on my own). Texas is so blessed to have someone who cares about getting the right things done at a legislative level.”