CC PACKET 01101984 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-2- (2) Continue the current no branch pickup practice. Advantages: *Direct and indirect cost savings to the City. *Enhancement of Public Works Department morale because this is a very distasteful job. *No billing or non-payment problems. *No concerns about City competition with private enterprise or citizen concerns about the non-user subsidizing the program users. Disadvantages : *Community discontent at the loss of this valued service (not quantifiable) . *Possible decrease in tree trimming and maintenance activities by City residents with resulting increase in unsightliness of the community. (3) Operate a branch chipping program on a cost recovery basis (or even on a modest profit basis) . This should utilize one of two approaches. A. A minimum billing of $15.00 for the first 10 minutes of chipping and $15.00 for each additional 10 minutes. Advantages: *No concerns about subsidy by non-users. *Payment would be based on amount chipped rather than causing a subsidy for those with larger amount of branches. *Minimization of City budget impact by the program. *Ability to specify more clearly that evergreens and stumps will not be chipped . 'Allows neighbors to double up to save money without circum- venting the fee system since the fees are based on the stop (minimum charge) as well as the time involved. Disadvantages : -Fees a.re not deductible, tax supported programs are. *Staff time for recordskeeping, billing and collecting non- payment of bills. 'Set up of a reservation system to be sure that people who have branches on their boulevard also realize (and have .-indicated in writing) that they are willing to pay for the branch chipping services . -The possibility of complaints by residents based on the fact that they are now paying directly for the service that City crews are too slow or are inaccurate in the time logged for chipping . B. The second alternative is a -flat rate of $20.00 per stop, raising $12,000 to $16,000 on an estimated. 600 to 800 stops. Advantages and disadvantages ,are simi1ar to A except that when neighbors- pool their branches, they can circumvent the fee system, causing concerns by those with small amounts of branches that they are subsidizing the others. In addi - tion, there is a potential that the program (due to this doubling up) would not operate on a break-even basis. The concerns about the speed of the crew or the accuracy of timing or records- keeping -would be eliminated with this alternative.