04/07/2008 Council Minutes (3) - Laserfiche WebLink

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• CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION APRIL 7, 2008 APPROVED 46 Ms. Weiner suggested that council members refer calls or inquires about the process or 47 valuations to her so she can attempt to answer questions prior to the hearing. Her phone 48 number is 763-323-5480. She's received about 100 calls this year, less that the previous 49 year. 50 51 2. 2008 ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD GOALS — Marty Asleson, Environmental 52 Coordinator for the City, introduced Environmental Board Chair, Mary Jo O'Dea who 53 reviewed the goals for 2008. Ms. O'Dea noted that many are on-going goals. 54 55 Mr. Asleson noted the Rice Creek Watershed District's patented Blue Thumb Program. It 56 is an environmental education program. The city is required to participate but its benefits 57 will be many fold. It is a good program that will help the city meet its own environmental 58 goals as well as MPDS requirements for education. 59 60 In response to a question about coordination with the water conservation plan the city is 61 developing with the Department of Natural Resources, Mr. Asleson noted that the Blue 62 Thumb program is a part of improvement in that area; water discussion and looking at 63 individual projects for water impact is always a part of the Environmental Board's work. 64 There is expertise on the Board that will be helpful in that area. The city's consulting 65 engineer did address the Board on the issue and received input and suggestions. 66 67 The Board's recognition that they should be involved in the comp plan development as 68 well as conservation development activities is important. The council will consider 69 adoption of the goals at the next regular council meeting. 70 71 3. UTILITY RATE STUDY — Al Rolek, Finance Director, introduced Patty 72 Kettles, Springsted, Inc. She is reporting back on the utility rate study after receiving 73 council comments in October 2007. There were questions raised by the council and 74 Springsted has worked to address them. Staff also asked about strategies to cut back on 75 discretionary usage, with the consideration that there are users that don't have discretion 76 (e.g. industrial use). 77 78 Ms. Kettles reviewed the written reports. The original report called for one block rate for 79 all users (residential, commercial, industrial, etc.) but that met with concern from both the 80 council and staff so it has been reworked. In response to questions, she explained that she 81 located only one city over 40,000 that does not have a water treatment facility; and there 82 were no cities found to be imposing rates on a per capital basis. 83 84 Ms. Kettles presented and reviewed tables showing proposed blocks and rates for 85 residential and non-residential domestic/processed and irrigation water consumption. 86 Further presented was an estimated revenue amount and tables summarizing projected 87 changes in consumption patterns and the net effect on revenues as well as the projected 88 impact on various customer types. 89