HomeMy WebLinkAbout120103R CC Min
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR SESSION
MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2003
MUNICIPAL BUILDING
3800 UNIVERSITY BLVD.
5:45 P.M.
The City Council convened in Regular Session in the Municipal Building Council
Chambers (3800 University Blvd.) on December 1, 2003, with the following members
present: Mayor Ballanfant presiding, Council Members Farley, Fogler and Woods. The
City Manager, City Secretary, City Attorney, Assistant City Manager/Public Works
Director, Police Chief, and Operations Superintendent were also present. Council
Member Segal was absent.
The notice for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Texas Government Code,
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Chapter 551, on the 26 day of November 2003 at 3:40 p.m.
Formal Session
Citizen Comments
Mayor Ballanfant invited citizens who wished to address the City Council to come
forward as their names were called.
Robert Wells, 3815 University, commented that the last time he came before Council he
discussed the use of the property by the West U Baptist Church. He asked if the Council
had reached any conclusion on whether to take any action.
Mayor Ballanfant stated that the Council has no authority once the Zoning Board of
Adjustment acts on a request for a variance.
Dick Yehle, 6401 Rutgers, encouraged the Council to consider the basic principles when
setting the new water and sewer rates. He suggested taking the fixed cost associated with
the water program divide those by the number of users and that should be the base rate.
Anything after that would be variable costs and charged according to how they are used.
Mr. Yehle stated that the City should not be subsidizing anybody for water and a
premium should not be put on conservation.
Water rate analysis.
Matters related to a water rate analysis including a report from Black and Veatch,
proposed fee schedule and related matters.
City Council Regular Session, December 1, 2003
Larry Peart from Black and Veatch reported that as a result of the last meeting on
November 10, 2003 when the water rate analysis was presented to Council, he was asked
to restructure some of the rates. He stated that the City?s current water and wastewater
rates have a base charge and then a schedule of volume charges. The base charge is
designed to recover certain fixed costs such as meter reading billing, collections and
administration of utilities. The water charges on the base side vary by meter size. The
City also has a municipal electric fee that is added to the utility bill. He stated that they
are proposing to eliminate that fee from the bill and incorporate it into the rate structure
rate design. The volume charges have a water conservation structure to encourage
conservation and the sewer volume rates are based upon a single rate.
Mr. Peart reviewed the proposed monthly water base charges, the water volume rates and
the monthly sewer base and volume charges.
Mayor Ballanfant stated that there was both water and sewer minimum base charges. He
inquired as to why the proposal did not raise any of the base charges for nonresidential
users.
Mr. Peart stated that from a cost of service standpoint, there is really not a great deal of
difference between a base charge for a residential customer and a nonresidential
customer. It costs the same to read a 5/8? residential as it does to read a 5/8? commercial
meter. Nonresidential customers will pay for their increased volume use.
The City Council asked numerous questions regarding the billing rates, conservation and
replacement of the water meters. They also discussed reserve requirements and debt
service coverage.
The City Council requested that the rate structure be modified to have the same
percentage adjustment made on the nonresidential base charges as is presented for
residential base charges.
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This item will be presented in a fee schedule for adoption at the December 15 Council
meeting.
Intergovernmental & Infrastructure Issues; Staff or Council Report.
Matters relating to intergovernmental relations and agreements including negotiations,
extra jurisdictional meetings, regional issues, Metropolitan Transit Authority agreements,
infrastructure projects, drainage, flooding, Kirby Drive construction, streetlights and
related matters. This may include report(s) from staff and reports and directives to staff
from Council Members.
No reports were given.
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City Council Regular Session, December 1, 2003
Adjournment.
With no further business to come before the City Council at this time, a motion was made
by Council Member Farley, seconded by Council Member Fogler, to adjourn. The
Council meeting adjourned at 6:32 p.m.
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