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Council keeps $9 irrigation fee; agrees to segregate meter and pond reserves
Summary
Councilors kept the $9 monthly irrigation fee for now, directed staff to show $3.82 per connection for meter replacement and $3.18 per connection for a pond-expansion reserve, and asked that the funds be placed in restricted accounts to reduce the chance they are repurposed.
At a Gunnison budget workshop, councilors agreed to keep the $9 monthly irrigation-related charge in place for now and directed staff to segregate the proceeds into distinct reserves for meter replacement and a PI Pond expansion account. Staff said the irrigation system has 663 connections paying the maintenance fee and broke the $9 into component parts so the council could see how the money is used.
Why it matters: several councilors emphasized transparency and durability of the reserve accounts after residents raised concerns that funds could be redirected for other uses. Clear per-connection accounting helps residents see how much of the fee funds meter replacement versus pond expansion and reduces political friction if future councils consider reallocations.
Details: staff traced the adopted 2022 fee structure and explained current components: a $6.50 monthly meter bond adopted in 2022 plus additional per-connection amounts for maintenance and assessment pass-throughs. During the workshop staff reported, “so we have 3 dollars and 82 cents for the meter replacement reserve per connection and $3.18 per connection for the PI Pond expansion reserve.” Councilors asked that the pond and meter portions be held in accounts that are harder to access without explicit council action.
Costs and reserves: councilors reviewed capital costs and timing: the city previously spent roughly $440,000 on the initial meter purchase (total, not per meter), and councilors discussed pacing replacements rather than replacing all meters in a single year. Staff noted the irrigation reserve target of roughly $710,000 over 10 years would support staged replacements and long-term maintenance.
Next steps: staff will present a final fee schedule and a ledger showing segregated monthly transfers to the meter and pond reserves. Council discussed a short special meeting option to change fees and agreed to keep the $9 billing in place for the next billing cycle while the ledger and possible reductions (e.g., moving some pond funding to grants) are explored.
