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MAYOR <br />Michael L Fahey <br />COUNCIL, <br />Beverly Scalze <br />Jim LaValle <br />Steve Morelan <br />Bob Pedersen <br />515 Little Canada Road, Little Canada, MN 55117 -1600 ADMINISTRATOR <br />(651) 484 -2177 / FAX: (651) 484 -4538 Joel R. Hanson <br />Email: cityhall @ci.Iittle- canada.mn.us <br />MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Mayor Fahey & Members of the City Council <br />FROM: Joel Hanson, City Administrator <br />DATE: October 6, 2000 <br />RE: Water Availability Charge for 2995 Vanderbie Street <br />As you know, when someone connects to City water, a $300 water availability charge is <br />imposed. The Nelsons at 2995 Vanderbie Street connected to City water this past spring. As <br />you will note in a July 10th letter from Mrs. Nelson, they had made two attempts to obtain the full <br />charges that would be imposed on them for connecting to City water. However, our staff <br />neglected to inform them of the. $300 water availability charge. In a review of permits by <br />another employee, it was discovered that this charge was missed and the Nelsons were invoiced <br />accordingly. <br />Given that the City failed to inform them of this charge at the time they made the connection, the <br />Nelsons feel they should not be subject to this $300 fee. I have explained that while it is obvious <br />an error was made from our standpoint, it does not negate their responsibility to pay this charge. <br />I have also explained the inconsistencies that would exist with other property owners in the City <br />who have paid this fee when they connected to City water. <br />I have apologized to Mrs. Nelson for this error and the inconvenience it resulted in. I also <br />offered to forgo the certification of this to taxes and the associated fees. Due to this mistake on <br />our part, I offered them the ability to pay this amount over time. (I would suggest $75 a quarter <br />for the next year that could be added to their water bill.) I also explained to her that I do not <br />have the authority to waive this charge. Mrs. Nelson did not feel my offer was appropriate and <br />asked me to present it to the City Council for a decision. <br />One obvious question you may have is how did this situation occur. The only answer I have is <br />that it was a mistake made that we have taken steps to correct. One of the key steps we have <br />implemented is a reference manual for use in the front office area for various types of <br />\,C LCS RVO I \HOME \Kri sP \CO RRES P\2000 \Water Av. <br />Page 6 <br />