Laserfiche WebLink
Orono City Council <br />Work Session Minutes <br />Monday, October 28, 2019 <br />Council Chambers 5:00 p.m. <br /> <br />Page 2 of 3 <br /> <br />Staff could search the City’s permit data for each lift station and use the addresses <br />associated with it to find which addresses have pulled a permit in the last twenty years. <br /> <br />Walsh mentioned we know it needs to be done, now we need to possibly put it in the <br />budget now, and incrementally take care of it. There is a lot of things that we need to <br />consider. He added staff may need to do some further research. <br /> <br />There was discussion about various aspects that Council would like to be considered <br />before developing this type of policy or ordinance. Aspects discussed were: how and <br />when to require inspections; when and how to determine prioritization of areas in need; <br />education to the public; possibilities of assessing for it; and responsibilities of the City and <br />residents. <br /> <br />Printup mentioned the City should be sure to provide communications to residents in the <br />newsletters and possibly look at beginning Point of Sale in 2021. Printup added it is <br />important that residents know that the city has actively been addressing I&I. <br /> <br />Walsh mentioned that this is part of best practices from the City’s standpoint it is going to <br />cost money and it’s going to maintain infrastructure. He added that guidance to staff <br />would be to develop the Point of Sale ordinance and bring it back to Council for further <br />discussion. <br /> <br />Johnson indicated the he was in favor of having inspections required for every house and <br />certificates of compliance for every house that would come directly from the City. <br /> <br />2. 2020 Utility Billing and Rates <br />a. Utility Rates <br />b. Monthly vs. Quarterly Billing <br />c. Water Utility Shut-Off Policy <br /> <br />Finance Director Ron Olson presented the 2020 Utility Billing and Rates item. Olson <br />added that staff is recommending significant increases for next year. The reason for this is <br />due to the level of expected capital expenditures over the near term. Higher increases next <br />year allow the City to meet funding goals while keeping rates lower in future years. Olson <br />noted that some of these rates particularly water, sewer, recycling are significant but if we <br />wait it could be worse off. <br /> <br />Walsh asked that staff work on making sure these increases are communicated to residents <br />and make sure to share the reasons for the increases. <br /> <br />Printup added that it needs to be communicated that this is and has been ongoing. <br /> <br />Walsh added the goal of approaching this in this way is so the City doesn’t have to assess. <br />