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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980-09-04 - City Commission Public Hearing Meeting MinutesL -1 M 5811 NORTHWEST 88TH AVENUE 0 TAMARAC, FLORIDA 33321 TELEPHONE (305) 722-5900 September 3, 1980 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL TAMARAC, FLORIDA Pleased be advised of a Public Hearing before the City Council of Tamarac on Thursday, September 4, 1980 at 10:00 A.M. at the Boulevards Clubhouse, 2613 West Prospect Road. Tamarac. The purpose of the Public Hearing is to consider and take action on the Eastside Utility Fund Budget 1980/81 by Temporary Ordinance 806 - First Reading. Council may consider such other business as may come before it. The Public is invited to attend. Ma7rilygVBertholf, Ci Clerk 9/3/80 MB/1c I CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA PUBLIC HEARING - "UTILITY FUND EAST BUDGET- FY 1980/81 SEPTEMBER 4,1980 Mayor Falck called the Public Hearing to order, on Thursday, September 4,1980 at 10:00 A.M., in the Boulevards of Tamarac. ROLL CALL: PRESENT:Mayor Walter W. Falck Vice -Mayor Helen Massaro Councilman Irving M. Disraelly Councilman Irving Zemel Councilwoman Marjorie Kelch ALSO PRESENT City Manager,Edward Gross City Attorney,Arthur Birken Finance Director, Steve Wood Clerk/Steno, M. Carporotta Mayor Falck read the Notice of Public Hearing. The purpose of this Special Meeting is to consider and take action on the East Side Utility Fund Budget 1980/91 by temporary ordinance # 806, First Reading, Councilman Disraelly said the City's Personnel/Insurance Technician requested Council approve bids for Law Enforcement Officers, Comprehensive Liability Insurance which is coming due and moved this item be agendized by consent. Councilman 7eme1 Seconded the motion. C/W Kelch clarified the purpose of this agendizing this item. Tt is to authorize going for bids and not to approve the bid. VOTE: ALL VOTED AYE. Councilman Disraelly MOVED that the Insurance Department go to bid for Law Enforcement Officers Liability Insurance for the .omsuing year. Vice Mayor Massaro Seconded the Motion. VOTE: ALL VOTED AYE. Mayor Falck thanked the residents of the Boulevards for having their clubhouse available for the City Council to explain and review the proposed budget for the fiscal year 1980/81. This will include comments which h av e come before Council relating to rates, as they apply to individual homes. He explained that no action will be taken on that particular matter, but will be held for further discussion by Council at the appropriate time. The Mayor said he would be presenting the Key to the City 4 to Mr. McPherson later on in the meeting. He was instrumental in helping the City obtain the necessary funds for Caporella Park. The City Manager explained the Utility Budget for the coming year. He said he is asking for an increase over the previous year of approximately 56,000.00, which represents a 41'; increase. He further explained the City is required, under Federal Laws, to phase out the City"s Utility in a few years from now. Because of that the City has limited capital improvement in the Utility. After being looked at by the City Engineer and by the City's Consulting Engineer the plant should last the time frame due until the 201 program comes into effect. Councilman Disraelly commented, after careful review of the expenses of the last year, it was determined that certain items, such as postage and electricity needed to be increased. 9/ 4 /80 Councilwoman Ketch clarified the turn on and turn off charges. She explained this refers only to turn on charges when there has been a delinquency in the bill. She questioned the item concerning uniforms and the cost being $750.00. Steve Wood, Finance Director, explained that the utility employees have not had uniforms in the past. This will bring them to the same status as the employees at Utility West. Mice Mayor questioned the item " in lieu of taxes, fi2,125.00,1'The Finance Director explained these are reimbursements to the General Fund, had the General Fund taxed the utility as it would if it were a private company, to provide other services to the General Fund. ( Payroll, Engineering Services, City Attorney, City Manager) These monies go to the General Fund.'Mayor Falck asked if anyone wished to discuss and/or ask any questions relating to the Utility. Mrs. Ball, resident of Tamarac Lakes I, discussed the minimum gallons of water being 4000 in some areas and 5000 in other areas. She asked Council for consideration to reduce the minimum to 4000 in all areas and charge accordingly. The City Attorney clarified that the minimum charge is for the first 4000 gallons. Councilman Disraelly brought to the attention of those present that the budget that is proposed will not require any additional monies for water & sewer rates. The present rates will cover the anticipated budget without any change in revenues. Mr. Paul Ferrara, resident of Tamarac Lakes North, asked Council when the phase out of the Utility is going to come about, where and who is taking over? Mr. Gross explained that under the Environmental Protection Rules and Regulations of the Federal Government, the Utility Companies in Broward County all have to connect into three regional systems which are now being built, or which will be built by 1984. It is expected that sometime in 1983 the sewer plant will connect to that system and at that point in time the sewer plant itself will no longer be used. The City does not meet the standards required by the Federal Government. At the present time there is no exact date, but next year at this time we should have one. The sewage, instead of going to the City's plant will be transferred to the County Plant which will have the Environmental Protection Devices that are required by law and the City of Tamarac will be paying the County for this use. Mayor Falck said there will be approximately 90% funding by the Federal Government. One of the reasons the City was interested in having the conversion from the flat rate water program to the meter system was to enable the City to pay only for the water used and more important to pay for the waste water discharged. Mr. Campbell, resident of Tamarac Lakes, asked who is using the sewer plantieast of 441? What has been added in the last 8 or 9 years? The City Manager responded,in the past 5 years there has been only one increase in the commercial area and no changes in the residential area in the sewer system. Two years ago another surge tank was added which was donated to the City by Holiday Inn on 441, to increase the capacity of the system. Properties in the Lakes I area which presently have septic tanks, will eventually be brought into the°system. Mayor Falck stated that "'The City is very well aware of what the capacity of the plant is. About five months ago the Lakes Section wanted to change their clubhouse. They put in a sewer connection.Those were reserved because when we were at capacity we also had the two homes which were removed. This gave us back ERC'S that we did not have, so we reserved those when we heard the Lakes Section was going to do some modifications to their clubhouse. Those were reserved to be used by them. Since that time nothing else has been added to it." -2- 9/4/80 Mr. Campbell questioned the capacity of the plant. Vice Mayor responded, it is approximately 200,000 gallons. There being no other discussion or questions by the Public, Mayor Falck closed the Public Hearipg. The City Attorney read Temp. Ord. # 806 by title. Councilwoman Kelch MOVED Temp. Ord. #806 adopting an annual Utility Fund Budget for the City of Tamarac be approved on First Reading. Vice Mayor Massaro SECONDED the motion. VOTE: ALL VOTED AYE Mayor Falck indicated there will be a Second Reading on this proposed Ordinance as part of the regular Council Meeting scheduled for September 24th at City Hall, 2:00 P.M. The City Manager said the Finance Department has reviewed the operation of the East Utility as to the revenue picture and in reviewing the rates that are currently charged, it is recommended that if Council wishes to change the rates in order to lower the availability charge, the Finance Department felt it could be done without any lowering of revenues to the City in the following manner: a) A service availability charge has been set up for water for $3.70 a month, rather than the present charge of fi5.00. b) A consumption of $.55 per thousand gallons is also charged for water. The cost could then be brought into line so the rates are not lowered and at the time those people who use lesser amounts of water can lower their own rates by using less. The availability charge and the consumption charge in actual figures are different from the figures used at the West Plant. However, the same method is being used. The reason we pay $.55 per thousand gallons is Tamarac pays the City of Fort Lauderdale for water at the present time. We must charge at least that much money to break even. Mr. Cross further indicated all water usage will be paid for by the thousand gallons. In the area of sewage, the difference is the cost per thou -sand gallons for sewage. By charging a higher cost for sewage, a lower ava-ilability charge can be charged. The Finance Director is recommending $5.75 as compared to 57.00, with a $.50 per thousand gallon charge, of> 6.10 for Service Availability with a �.40 per thousand charge. Those people who may go away for some period of time will be paying a lesser amount for Service Availability but they will still be paying the full amount that is needed to cover the cost of the effluent and of the water. Councilman Disraelly clarified that under the proposed rate, residents would be paying $9.80 per month for no water consumption and at the present time the minimum bill is $12.00. That gives 4000 gallons of water. If 2000 gallons are used, there would be a reduction in cost from $12.00 to $11.70. It is computed on an average that if 5000 gallons is used, the new rate would be $14.55. It would be a sliding scale based upon the amount of water actually used. Mr. Cetchee, resident of Boulevards, asked if that means they will be paying $14.55 for 500Q'gallons of water,plus �$2.55 for the extra 1000 gallons? Councilman Disraelly explained the extra 1000 gallons at the present time costs $.85 for water and $.40 for sewer.(13.25) 5611 9/4/80 C � Mr. Getchee explained that the median strip in the Boulevards section is dry because they only have it sprinkled once a week. He requests the lawns be sprinkled twice a week for a half an hour. The City Manager,commented, on the average, 3000 gallons of water are used a month for a single family home. The vast majority of the citizens in the area are using less than 3000 gallons. Therefore, most residents will be receiving reduced bills. Cmncilwoman Kelch felt the new proposed budget is more fair and equitable to most people. Tt is also more ecologically sound. The Vice Mayor felt Council has not had ample time to research and determine the fairness of the proposal completely. The Vice Mayor respectfully suggested tabling this item for consideration by Council and to be brought up for further consideration at a time designated by the Mayor. Councilwoman Kelch Seconded the motion. VOTE: ALL VOTED AYE. Mayor Falck introduced Mr. Mitch Ceasar to the residents as well as all present on the dais. Mr. Kuhn, resident of the Boulevards, and retired employee from Broward County Engineering stated he was very happy with the proposals suggested by Council with respect to the rate structure. Playor Falck thanked the public for attending. Meeting was adjourned at 10:45 A.M. MAYOR ATTEST: r VA This public doc,unent was promulgated at a cost of $ or /-00 per copy, to inform the general public and public officers and employees about recent opinions and considerations by the City Council of the City of Tamarac. --4- 9/4/80 APPROVED BY CITY OUNCIION e-d