CHA 07/24/2003 - SPECIAL MEETING Charter Commission Meeting
Jul 24 2003 Utility Rate Facts
• While this limitation works for some years,it
does not work for others. Many utility costs
are outside City Control.
•Current Charter language specifically
75%of sewer costs are charges that are passed
requires that increases in utility rate along to the City by the MCES
increases be no more than 5%or
indexed to the rate of inflation,whichever Water and sewer systems are largely underground.
While we do a lot of annual maintenance,we can
is less; not easily predict when sewer and water lines will
break or when pump motors for wells will burn out.
Utility Rate Facts Water Fund Deficits:
2002 ($266,000) (actual)
0 Water usage is also not controlled.Several 2003 ($164,561)
wet summers have kept water usage far
below normal. Usage affects both water 2004 ($174,108)
and sewer revenue 2005 ($293,479)
2006 ($490,678)
2007 ($711,617)
\ 2008 ($945,916)
``b
Sewer Fund Deficits: Additional Information:
Ot-
2002 $61,196 (actual) • are looking at rate increases for
2003 ($14,070) /2004 that are 8.5%and 9.5%for water
2004 ($224,766) and sewer. The cost is about$2 per ,7
quarter per utility, or about$8-9/ .
2005 ($259,388)
2006 ($289,098) • Fridley rates are among the lowest in the
2007 ($311,807) metro area and generally lower than any
2008 ($277,223) of our neighbors. J
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Proposed Charter Amendment Capital Improvement Needs
•Since much of the need for increase
• Seeking Charter amendment that will relates to either revenue or capital
enable City Council to pass along rate improvements, Jon Haukaas is here to
increases that reflect the city's costs and explain capital improvement needs.
enable us to fund the projects that will
help us keep our systems healthy. •An article in the August 10th newsletter
will describe the need for utility rate
increases.
Proposed Amendment
• Deb Skogen has developed the
language for the amendment as well as
the schedule of actions that need to be
taken.
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CITY OF FRIDLEY
CHARTER COMMISSION
SPECIAL MEETING
THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2003 6:00 P.M.
AGENDA
LOCATION: Fridley Municipal Center
CONFERENCE ROOM A (Upper Level)
CALL TO ORDER:
ROLL CALL:
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
1. Discussion of Proposed Charter Amendment to Chapter 7
ADJOURNMENT
Next regular meeting: Monday, September 22, 2003, at 7:00 p.m. in Meeting
Room 1 in the Lower Level
To: Fridley Charter Commission Members
From: Deb Skogen, City Clerk
Date: July 17, 2003
Re: Proposal to Amend City Charter—Chapter 7
A special Charter Commission meeting has been called to discuss amending Chapter 7 pertaining
to the definition of fees.
Due to the costs of providing utility services it is becoming increasingly difficult to operate
under the terms of the recently changed section of the charter that limits the increase of utility
rates. The city needs to periodically reconstruct portions of the water storage and distribution
system to keep it from falling into disrepair. We are looking at the need for construction the
following significant elements in the next few years:
• Marian Hills Standpipe(storage tower)
• Replacing significant components of the Common Park Filter system to comply with
state health standards related to the removal of Radium 226 and 228.
These items along with the financing that is needed to fund them will cause the water system to
require rates beyond the 1.8%that is allowed by the new change in the Charter.
Also, the Sewer Fund's main component of expense is one that is not controlled by the city. The,
Met Council Environmental Services provides the disposal of sewage for the City of Fridley and
all other metro communities. Since almost 74% of the expenses of the sewer operation are
related to the disposal of sewage it is important to allow the rates to follow the costs of the
disposal.
Both of these funds incurred losses at the end of the last fiscal year, and it is anticipated that the
losses will continue indefinitely without an increase that goes beyond that allowed by current
charter language.
To Amend the Fridley City Charter
MN Statutes 410.12, subd. 5
The Charter Commission may recommend to the City Council that it amend the charter by
ordinance. hi this case,the council,by a unanimous vote, may adopt the ordinance after a public
hearing that had two weeks' published notice. The notice must contain the text of the proposed
amendment. The ordinance proposing the amendment is subject to the same publication
requirements as other ordinances,but does not become effective for 90 days. During the first 60
days registered voters equal to 2%of the votes at the last state general election or 2,000 voters,
whichever is less,may submit a petition forcing a referendum on the amendment. If such
petition is filed and proper, the city council may submit it to a general election within 60 days
after the petition or reconsider its action in adopting the ordinance.
Proposed Schedule:
7-24 Charter Meeting
7-31 Publication of Notice of Public Hearing
8-7 Publication of Notice of Public Hearing
8-11 Public Hearing and 1st reading
8-25 2nd reading
9-4 Publication of Ordinance after rd reading
12-3 90 days after publication amendment would become effective
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 7 OF THE FRIDLEY CITY CHARTER
PERTAINING TO TAXATION AND FINANCES
After review, examination and recommendation of the Fridley Charter Commission and staff, the
Fridley City Council hereby finds and ordains as follows:
Section 7.02. Power of Taxation
3. Any other fees created, or increased beyond the limits set forth in subsection 1, shall
require voter approval as stipulated in subsection 2.
A. For purposes of this subsection, "fees"includes sales and use taxes,otility
shafgesTreeyeling4ees, gas and electric franchise fees and any other fee that
produces a tax burden or direct financial obligation for all property owners and/or
residents of Fridley.
B. For the purposes of this section,the term "fees"does not include: Parks and
Recreation Department participation fees, charges for photo-copying, sales of
municipal liquor store products, or civil and criminal fines and other charges
collected in cases of restitution or violation of law or contract. The term"fees"
also does not include utility charges,recycling fees,rental housing fees,building
n permit fees, liquor license fees,the extension or transfer of cable television
service authority to additional service providers for which fees are already being
charged, fees for the operation of junkyards, annual license fees for the operation
of pawn shops and other regulated business, and any other charge for services,
including health and safety related Code enforcement, and other goods, services
or materials routinely provided by the City to its citizens or other members of the
public which,by law,must be limited to the actual cost of the service being
provided. The term"fees" shall not include any special assessments made under
Minnesota Statutes §429.
PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FRIDLEY THIS
DAY OF 2003.
Scott J. Lund,Mayor
ATTEST:
Debra A. Skogen, City Clerk
Public Hearing:
First Reading:
Second Reading:
Published: