Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Stormwater Fee Adjustment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee forwards proposed 9% stormwater utility fee increase to finance committee
Summary
Public works staff presented a Trilogy report recommending a five-year stormwater utility plan; the committee voted to forward a 9% fee-increase proposal to the finance committee (staff recommended the version without an added full-time employee).
Public works staff reviewed a Trilogy report and two fee scenarios for the city’s stormwater utility, explaining the rationale for moving the utility toward covering infrastructure costs without bonding those projects.
"In the report, they had, obviously, increasing utility to cover the cost of actually doing some of the infrastructure work," staff said, summarizing the consultant’s recommendation of a roughly 9% increase phased over five years. Staff also presented a variant that excludes hiring a new full-time employee and noted that the difference between the two scenarios is approximately $100,000 in payroll and benefits over the planning horizon.
Committee members questioned timing, household impacts and when a new employee might be added under the larger scenario. Staff said the $48-per-year current fee would incrementally rise under the consultant plan to a higher capped rate over five years; without the new employee the final annual per-household fee would be about $61.25, versus about $69.60 with the new position.
A committee member moved that the committee forward the 9% stormwater utility fee increase proposal to the finance committee for approval; another member seconded the motion. The committee approved the motion by voice vote.
Staff said the finance committee will review the recommended fee schedule, and that implementation could be phased to limit capital projects or prioritize maintenance until full revenues are available.
