01/12/2004 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY 12, 2004 APPROVED 1 Councilmember Dahl moved to approve FIRST READING of Ordinance 01-04, Vacating Drainage 2 and Utility Easements, Mar Don Acres. Councilmember Reinert seconded the motion. 3 4 Councilmember Dahl voted yea. Councilmember Reinert voted yea. Councilmember Carlson voted 5 yea. Councilmember Stoltz voted yea. Mayor Reinert voted yea. 6 7 Motion carried unanimously. 8 9 OPEN MIKE - (continued) 10 11 Cindy Cook, 7131 Whippoorwill Lane, stated that on her last utility bill, there was a vague reference 12 to an increase of $14.89 during the winter months. She stated she talked to City Staff who said 13 "winter months" are defined as six months. Ms. Cook stated it is her understanding that only 262 14 people are impacted by this increase. She asked where this additional money goes. Mayor Bergeson 15 stated it goes to the City's general revenue fund. 16 17 Ms. Cook asked why it is on the Circle Pines utility bill. Mayor Bergeson explained that the 18 Centennial Lakes Utility agreed to pay a franchise fee and in the last year or so, they have decided to 19 pass that cost on to Lino Lakes customers. Prior to that time, they viewed it as a cost of doing 20 business. 21 22 Ms. Cook asked if just 262 people get billed this additional cost and then the money goes to the Lino 23 Lakes general fund. Mayor Bergeson stated that is correct and explained the Circle Pines Gas Utility 24 agreed to pay that franchise fee to do business in Lino Lakes and operate within the City's right -of- • 25 way. 26 27 Ms. Cook stated it is her understanding this may be renegotiated, but no one wants to do that. Mayor 28 Bergeson stated that has been mentioned but no one has agreed to renegotiate at this point. 29 30 Ms. Cook asked if this is like a tax since it is going into the City's general fund. Mayor Bergeson 31 stated that decision was made by the Circle Pines Gas Utility, not by the City of Lino Lakes. 32 33 Ms. Cook stated she finds it is very unfair since it is only 262 Lino Lakes residents paying the fee. 34 Mayor Bergeson stated it is a cost for the utility to do business in Lino Lakes. 35 36 Ms. Cook asked if negotiation will occur since it has been going on since 1986. Mayor Bergeson 37 stated the Circle Pines Gas Utility made the decision several years ago to pass that cost on to their 38 Lino Lakes customers and negotiation may occur. 39 40 Ms. Cook stated it is her understanding that the developer was aware of this as the land was being 41 developed. Mayor Bergeson stated he is unable to answer that question. 42 43 Ms. Cook asked if other new properties will also be charged this fee as they develop. She stated her 44 frustration in having to pay this fee to Centennial and then have it returned to Lino Lakes for use in 45 the general fund for who knows what. She thanked the Mayor and Council for listening to her 46 comments. 47 • 5