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City holds required public notice on annual enterprise utility fund transfer
Summary
At the May 20 meeting staff presented the required public notice for the city’s annual practice of transferring utility fees to cover city-owned facility usage and irrigation where no secondary water connection exists.
Washington Terrace opened a May 20 public hearing to notify utility customers that the city practices an annual enterprise fund transfer to cover utility services used by city-owned and operated buildings and facilities.
Sherry, a city staff member, explained Utah law requires the governing body to inform users when the city transfers fees for services provided by enterprise utility funds for city-owned facilities. She said the city regularly does not charge the city itself for utility services used during normal operations and that, absent that practice, those costs would be borne by property taxes. "If there is not a weighting of the fees, then we would be imposing those through taxation," Sherry said. "Where we are waiving them, the utility funds are absorbing that cost."
Sherry listed the primary uses as sanitary sewer, stormwater, refuse for public buildings, and irrigation of parks and open spaces where a secondary water connection is not available. She said estimated costs are included in the public notice and staff report.
No members of the public spoke during the hearing. The hearing closed with staff available for questions; council asked for clarification on why the practice exists and staff reiterated the transfer avoids charging taxpayers directly for utility consumption by city operations.
No formal council action occurred at the hearing; this is part of the annual budget notice and documentation requirements.
