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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION <br /> APPROVED <br /> j 1 CITY OF LINO LAKES <br /> 2 MINUTES <br /> 3 <br /> 4 DATE : February 22, 2021 <br /> 5 TIME STARTED : 6 :00 p.m. <br /> j 6 TIME ENDED : 6:30 p.m . <br /> 7 MEMBERS PRESENT : Council Member Stoesz, Lyden, Ruhland, <br /> 8 Cavegn and Mayor Rafferty <br /> 9 MEMBERS ABSENT None <br /> 10 Staff members present: City Administrator Sarah Cotton; Director of Public Safety John <br /> 11 Swenson; Finance Director Hannah Lynch; City Clerk Julie Bartell <br /> j 12 <br /> i <br /> 13 1 . Review Regular Agenda of February 22, 2021 <br /> 14 <br /> I 15 Item 2A — Preparation of Utility Rate Study — Finance Officer Lynch recalled July of <br /> 16 2020 when the council reviewed a water treatment feasibility study and directed staff to <br /> I 17 explore funding sources. Staff received eight proposals for a utility rate study and is <br /> 18 recommending that the council authorize Baker Tilly to prepare said study. She noted <br /> 19 that the Baker Tilly organization prepared that last two rate studies for the City. <br /> 20 <br /> 21 Councilmember Stoesz expressed interest in including study of a flat utility rate and Ms . <br /> 22 Lynch responded that options to be studied beyond the two indicated would result in <br /> 23 additional costs so would be done only based on direction from council . Councilmember <br /> 24 Stoesz added that he sees that customers in a quarterly billing system don 't get quick <br /> 25 feedback on their use (such as for consideration of conservation) so a flat rate may be <br /> 26 more appropriate. <br /> 27 <br /> 28 Administrator Cotton noted that the matter of reading meters more frequently is currently <br /> 29 being planned. <br /> 30 <br /> 31 Mayor Rafferty remarked that utility billing postage isn' t cheap so he would be concerned <br /> 32 about any inclination to not continue quarterly billing. <br /> 33 <br /> 34 Administrator Cotton explained further details about technology in the area of meter <br /> 35 reading and billing that is available. That' s not to say that quarterly billing doesn' t <br /> 36 continues to be the best practice for the City . <br /> 37 <br /> 38 Councilmember Ruhland asked about the possibility of charging for those that choose not <br /> 39 to go paperless. Ms. Cotton added that as new residents move in, the City is seeing <br /> 40 more automatic billing and payment as their choice. <br /> 41 <br /> 42 Staff added, regarding the discussion about flat rates, that the vast majority (98%) of <br /> 43 residents fit into the same lower tier. Staff can have Baker Tilly look at a uniform <br /> 44 system (non-tiered) if the council wishes. <br /> 1 <br />