CC Min 1998-06-22 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

5. Council action; MIS: IRAlRUSKIN. TITLE READ. RESOLUTION NO. 13373 OVERRULING PROTESTS, APPROVING, CONFIRMING AND ADOPTING CITY ENGINEER'S REPORT, AND ORDERING SPECIFIC BENEFIT ASSESSMENT TO BE LEVIED AND COLLECTED - SEAPORT CENTRE MAINTENANCE DISTRICT (FISCAL YEARS 1998-99 AND 1999-2000) ADOPTED BY UNANIMOUS ROLL CALL VOTE. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B. PUBLIC HEARING - INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE - Amendment of Sewer Service Charges - Introduction of Ordinance amending chapter 27 of the Code of the City of Redwood City relating to sanitary sewerage services fees and providing for refunds thereof, respectively; (802) Affidavit of Publication of Notice of Public Hearing on file in City Clerk Department. I. Staff report; REPORT: Manuel Rosas, Public Works Superintendent, June 22,1998 Vice Mayor Ruskin, Chair of the Council Utilities Committee, spoke to both the sewer and water proposals scheduled for public hearings this evening. He said it was the unanimous recommendation of the Utilities Committee (Council Members Claire, Ira and himself) to increase the service charges by the modest amount proposed. He said that Council policy supported the requirement that revenue must equal expenses in both funds, and the proposed increase would cover the increased costs. Vice Mayor Ruskin said that the Committee had previously recommended to Council, and Council approved, that the City "look into creating a variable rate charge for the sewerage charges, the same as we have for the water charges. The purpose of that, of course, is to allow people who need to and want to and can effectively conserve, to be able to pay lower rates than those who do not. It is also a way of helping people such as seniors on fixed incomes to better adjust to the utility charges." Vice Mayor Ruskin said that the Utilities Committee also recommended a small increase in water charges "for much the same reason. It is our Council policy that the basic service charges reflect the exact amount of the fixed overhead which includes labor as well as other costs." Vice Mayor Ruskin said the City is expecting steep increases from the City's water supplier, San Francisco Water, in the near future. He said to avoid charges that increase dramatically one year followed by a dramatic decrease the next, the Utility Committee tried to seek a balance over the next few years based on the expected long term increases proposed by San Francisco Water. REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE BOOK NO. 56 JUNE 22,1998 MINUTES Page No. 570 PAGE 8