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LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES MARCH 30, 1990 PAGE 2 As many Council members as possible will attend this informational meeting with DPRA on April loth at 5:00 p.m. This meeting is in addition to the scheduled April Ist meeting at 8:00 p.m. 5. CITY ENGINEER'S REPORT: A. PUBLIC HEARING: Proposed Increase in 201. Users Fee Mayor Dunn opened up the Public Hearing at 7:08 p.m. in the Council chambers. The Public Hearing notice was published on February 28, 1990 in the St. Croix Valley Press and affected property owners were notified. City Engineer, Larry Bohrer explained one of the requirements of the 201 Grant was that the City set up and maintain a user charge system for the operation, maintenance and replacement of the off -site and collector sewer systems. Sections 707.050 and 707.060 of the City Code require that the Council annually review the fund balance and adjust the rate structure accordingly. In 1988 and. 1989, the sewer charge was $120 per year for each residential equivalent unit. Bohrer reviewed the sewer income and expenses for 1988 and 1989. (See Attachment A). Because of the expense of repairs needed when a service pipe broke at 32nd Street, the fund balance needs to be returned to a positive balance. He recommended raising the rates for 1990 from $120 per year to $180 per year for each ERU, except the two individual off -site systems which require minimal maintenance. Bohrer pointed out that Lake El,mo's rates were far lower than those of neighboring communities. In the City of Afton they were charged $721 per unit in 1989, May Township was charged $263 per unit per year, Scandia was charged $32.2 per year and Washington County charged $365 per year for all off -site systems. Bohrer explained the City was fortunate in having an existing maintenance staff that only charged the actual time they spend on the job. Mabel Rygg, Townhouse on Lisbon Avenue, stated Charles Kent, who lives on the north end of the townhouses, has seen someone only once cutting the grass. She was very unhappy with the increase. Kelly Brockman, 3385 Lake Elmo Avenue, asked at one time they calculated 100,000 gallons as the Metropolitan area average sewage generation (Bohrer calculated 274 gallons per day x 365 days, = 100,000 gallons), are they still using this? What does Metro Charge? Bohrer was not sure on the charge. Is our systems costing us more than if they went to a treatment system where it is treated and run through the pipe? Bohrer: I don't know if that is a generalized statement. Why is there such a high auditing cost of $800? Bohrer: In the audit report this is what the auditor recommended charging against this fund.