CC Minutes - 04/11/05 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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through the exercise of developing the new methodology had to apply the statutory requirements to the methodology, which resulted in the current approach. That methodology was separate from the issue of the IGA. Ms. Taylor asked how much of the demand for wastewater service came from growth in the community. Mr. Ruffler said demand was a mixture of growth and the need to meet more stringent federal permit limits. He was unsure of the exact percentage attributable to growth. Ms. Taylor was concerned about the potential of the City subsidizing growth and suggested that was happening more than once because of the council's intent to adopt an enterprise zone. Mr. Jewett indicated that of the $144 million in new projects, $57.8 would be paid for by growth manifested through the collection of SDCs. Mayor Piercy called for a second round of comments and questions. Mr. Pap~ continued to object to the section of the agreement that gave the MWMC the power to set rates without the approval of the governing bodies or the MPC. He would also eliminate the text related to access to bond markets and meeting bond covenants and allow for a review of the MWMC's opinion by a different, independent body such as the MPC. Responding to a question from Mr. Pap~, Mr. Ruffler said that the MWMC would go through a public process to adopt a budget and forward the budget to the two cities for ratification. Each city went through a separate process to adopt the budget. Eugene adopted the rates administratively, and the information was provided to rate payers in advance of adoption, but no public hearing occurred. Responding to a question from Mr. Pap~ about what was being done to address the issues of infiltration and inflow, Mr. Ruffler said the two communities had worked with the MWMC to establish programs for each city to address infiltration and inflow. Ms. Bettman, seconded by Mr. Kelly, moved to extend the item for five minutes. The mo- tion passed unanimously. Ms. Ortiz assured the viewing public that the City was not considering the IGA because it wanted to, but because it had to in order to meet certain federal permitting requirements. Responding to a question from Ms. Bettman, Ms. Smith said the term %onnection fees" had been replaced by %ystems development charges." That change was made through the IGA. Ms. Bettman did not believe that the figure cited by Mr. Jewett regarding the capacity needed for new development would fulfill the needs of all such new development. She maintained that the project list contained unfunded new capacity that rate payers would be required to subsidize. She determined from Mr. Ruffler that the MWMC set the SDC rates for regional wastewater SDCs. The cities established the local wastewater rate. City Manager Taylor noted that the three governing bodies reviewed the SDC and must also adopt it. Ms. Bettman maintained she was told the reason the City could not increase its SDCs for capacity was because the rates were set at a regional level, and the IGA required the City to have rates that were consistent with Springfield's.. She reiterated that the IGA was inconsistent with the City's Growth Management Study policies, and asked the manager for input on how the IGA could be made consistent with those policies. MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 11, 2005 Page 8 Work Session