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Council delays decision on drainage-utility study after questioning implementation timing
Summary
Council members voted 6-0 to delay action on a $75,000 proposal to hire NewGen Strategies to study a townwide drainage utility. Staff had proposed the study to create a long-term funding mechanism for drainage capital improvements; some council members asked to postpone until midyear resource planning.
The Sunnyvale Town Council on Aug. 25 voted 6-0 to defer action on a proposed drainage-utility study that would have asked NewGen Strategies to analyze a stormwater/drainage utility and recommend fees.
Staff described the proposal as an initial step to establish an ongoing funding source for drainage capital improvements such as bridge repairs and stormwater projects. The consultant scope included mapping impervious cover, conducting a cost-of-service analysis, and producing a draft and final report with recommended fees. Staff said the town would use impervious-area methodology to allocate fees equitably across parcels.
The contract proposed in the agenda was for $75,000 and staff said it could be paid from utility fund balance. Several council members expressed concern that the study and a potential subsequent fee represent a new ongoing charge and suggested delaying the work until the town's midyear budget review or until the council has time to evaluate competing priorities.
A motion to take no action at this time passed 6-0. Staff said the study could be rescheduled for a later date and that, in the meantime, current utility fund balances would remain available for projects.
