08-09-1993 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council' Regular Meeting Page Six August 9, 1993 D. Samantha Orduno, City Administrator, reviewed Staff Report No. 93-5$6C regarding the Introduction of Ordinance No. 529 Establishing a Surface Water Management Utility and Amending Mounds View Municipal Code by Adding Chapter 73. Orduno stated that the Surface Water Management Utility had been discussed for a number of years and that on June 21, 1993 the City Council conducted an informational meeting on the proposed Surface Water Management Utility. The informational meeting was preceded by four Council meetings in which the utility concept had been discussed with other financing options. The City Council conducted an official public hearing on the proposed Surface Water Management Utility on July 28, 1993. Orduno stated that the reason for this utility is that .the City can no longer fund all basic system services based exclusively on the dollar value of property. Orduno explained that the old concepts that were once so much a part of funding municipal operations and based on property taxes have given way, out of financial necessity and social demands, to more equitable "user" fee concepts that place responsibility and payment for services onto the users of a system, not just the taxable property owners. Orduno stated that this a fair and equitable means of funding the kinds of projects that need top priority attention. Orduno stated that Rocky Keene, Short-Elliott-Hendrickson, was present at tonight's meeting to answer any questions that the residents might have. Orduno also reported that during the FOCUS 2000 meetings some of the. items brought forth were to .maintain a quality water system, to maintain wetlands and provide services in a fair and equitable manner. Orduno also reported that this item will be put on the August 23, 1993 agenda for consideration. Mayor Linke stated that there had been one informational meeting and ,one public hearing on this item already. This item was discussed at four work sessions and at many meetings last year. Orduno added that the ordinance establishing the utility would be considered at this time and at a future Council Meeting a resolution utility would be considered to establish the fees for the utility. This ordinance would be very similar to the water and sewer utility. This source of funding is becoming a national trend. Mayor Linke stated that in the past he had been opposed to a utility, however, after .looking at the costs for property taxes to residents and small business, i.e., the cost of ad valorem taxes would be twice the amount as the utility fee. The utility is set up so that those that provide the most runoff to the system will be the ones that will be paying the higher fees. The utility is the best way to collect funds and put them into a fund that would be used to solve some of the problems with the surface water runoff.