2005-05-16 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Aubrey Watts, CFO, reviewed the proposed water rate increases: water - overall increase of 9%; sewer - 6.4% increase; gas .025% increase plus other fee increases intended to cover direct cost of services. The public hearing was opened. Mr. Kenneth Jackson, 1437 Rugby Avenue, said he understands inflation costs, but thinks utility prices are high and suggested that money be pulled from other places to reduce the cost. He said the increases do not take low income people into consideration. As there were no further speakers, the public hearing was closed. Mr. Caravati asked if gas is cut off due to non-payment are funds available for assistance, and Mr. Watts said that an application can be made for assistance and if there is a legitimate need assistance will be given. Responding to a question from Mr. Schilling, Ms. Judy Mueller, Director of Public Works, said that the water conservation position has been vacant most of this fiscal year. Mr. Schilling said that Council is being asked to spend $143,000 for water conservation, but there is no amount targeted for savings. He asked where this amount came from. He said he cannot support this if we got by for a year with no one in the position. He suggested keeping the position vacant and putting the bulk of the funds into stopping leaks. He said we are taking over $1 million out of the gas utility to pay for CityLink and the gas utility does not use that much IT services. He said this is evidence that the gas utility operates on a for-profit, not non-profit basis. Regarding gas, he said we are asking people to conserve by spending $50,000 and also spending money to promote the use of gas. He said the answer he has received to this is that we want and need new customers and we then encourage people to conserve. He said he is not sure that is a good answer. He said there is a line item for the City Yard and he is not sure he can support this without a good understanding of what it is for. He said the University's water rate increase is less than that for citizens and he does not think the public has heard a good explanation of why that is. He made a plead for Council to remove the summer/winter rates as he said it is subsidizing students who are not here in the summer. He said this is an idea that does not work in this community. Mr. Caravati noted that the funding for CityLink was in the form of a loan. Mr. O'Connell said that Council approved the loan from the utilities on February 2, 2004, with the understanding that it will be paid back. He said the money is also used for other technology. He said another way to have funded CityLink was in the capital fund paid by taxpayers, and not to be paid back. He said the financing was done as a business plan. He said money was set aside for technology starting four years ago. Mr. Caravati asked how long we have talked about moving City Yard, and Ms. Mueller said since 1986 when land was purchased on Avon Street. She noted that gas is the primary polluter of the City Yard site. Responding to a question from Mr. Caravati about whether there is money enough to clean up City Yard, Ms. Mueller said there is not enough money to remediate the site. She noted that federal grant money will be used to build the transit operations center on Avon Street. Mr. Caravati asked if remediation of City Yard is something we are going to have to do, and Ms. Mueller said yes, if we want to sell the land. She said the level of remediation will be dictated by the future use. Mr. Schilling noted that he did not support moving City Yard. Mr. Caravati made a motion to approve the utility rate ordinance and Mr. Lynch seconded the motion.