Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
A proposal to establish a storm water drainage utility will be placed on the Sept. 11 City Council agenda for consideration.
The council agreed by consensus during a work session on Aug. 28 to move the concept forward to the next step, a regular meeting.
Under a committee recommendation, most residents would pay $4 per month for the drainage utility in the first year. Other proposed user fees include small commercial at $7 per month, medium commercial at $12 per month and large commercial at $68 per month.
In the first year of the plan, beginning on July 1, 2008, the city would spend $295,000 and require $194,000 from ratepayers for operation and maintenance of the city’s drainage system and $284,000 in capital improvements.
The recommendation bases the cost of the utility on the impervious surface of each property. The recommendation includes no exemptions for public agencies or churches and no breaks for seniors or low-income families.
The details are still subject to debate and consideration by the council, Public Works Director Mike Adams said following the presentation of the recommendation earlier in the month.
The rate will provide a basic amount of funding for operation and maintenance of the system, Adams said.
“As you can see, “Adams said last week, pointing to a map of the drainage system. “There’s quite a system there. Without a utility, it’s being paid for out of other funds.”
Funds that cover drainage maintenance and capital projects include the city’s share of gas tax money and wastewater treatment funds because storm water infiltrating the wastewater system is a prevalent problem throughout the city.
That means Public Works employee time funded through either source is spent on drainage projects instead of streets or wastewater, Adams said.
To better maintain the city’s drainage, “the only way to do that is to increase the revenue stream one way or another,” Adams said.
“I think we’re at the point, we should get some engineering started,” Councilor Bob McIntire said. “I think we should get started on some of these things here.”
It will allow the city to quit “diverting” funds that are meant for other things, Councilor Rich Rowley said.
The next step would be to instruct the city manager and Public Works director to bring it to the next regular city council meeting, Mayor Craig Fentiman said. The next meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 11.
“We’re also citizens,” McIntire said to the half-dozen members of the public at the meeting. “Whatever we come up with for you, we have to come up with for ourselves.”