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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998 10-27MERIDIAN CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING OCTOBER 27 1998 The special meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order by Mayor Robert D. Corrie at 7:00 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Keith Bird, Glenn Bentley, Ron Anderson. OTHERS PRESENT: Robert Corrie, Will Berg, Bill Gigray, Gary Smith, Bill Gordon. ITEM NO. 1: PUBLIC HEARING: FEE INCREASE / RATE ADJUSTMENT FOR REFUSE COLLECTION BY SANITARY SERVICES, INC: Corrie: At this point, I'll invite Steve or Bill if you would like to make a presentation to us. Sedlacek: Mr. Mayor and Councilman, we are here tonight to discuss some... Bentley: I believe he has to be sworn. STEVE SEDLACEK, WAS SWORN IN BY ATTORNEY. Sedlacek: Thank you very much for the opportunity to come and speak to you tonight. On September 1, we handed out some briefing documents regarding a rate restructuring issue. What is occurring in our business is the Ada County landfill disposal fees are going up and they've gone up on October 1. We have come in front of you tonight to request that those costs to a certain extent be passed on to the residents. The costs are non-negotiable item for us. They are an expense that we have to bear every month and this isn't something we can I guess negotiate our way out of. I did understand that in the notice of the public hearing that there was—again, the legislative language that said this was greater than 105% rate increase. I don't know if anyone is here, but we are really not doubling everyone's rates. I wanted to reiterate that there is no residential rate change at all, some rates for the commercial customers will go up, some will go down and some will stay the same. Our intention is to—through this rate restructuring is to incentive people to go to fewer containers, fewer larger containers, less frequently picked up. You can see that in the commercial rate structure and it also provides for new rates for wastes that are segregated, such as wood waste from for example, Oak Harbor Freight Lines. Fred Meyer will benefit greatly from these, because Fred Meyer has solid waste compactors where they put cardboard only in. There is no disposal charge for that. So rather than charge them as if they were disposing garbage, which they are not, we will be able to give them a reduced rate. We believe that—our calculations estimate that Fred Meyer will save about $600 dollars a month under this new rate structure. Our largest single commercial client is the Meridian School District and our calculations have indicated that their rates will go down to in total. Do you CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING OCTOBER 27, 1998 PAGE 2 have a number on that Bill? About $600 dollars a month for Meridian School District also, and again, that's the benefit of going to larger containers, less frequently collected. We do have a letter from the Joint School District, regarding this rate increase, it's from Keith Bailey who is in charge of their maintenance and custodials. He's the custodial supervisor for the school district. So I've got these if you are interested in having his letters. 1 believe they are in support of the rate restructuring. I didn't really want to go through all the different tables that we've handed out. If you have any questions, 1'd certainly be happy to answer them. I don't see anyone else in the room, so unless the chief of police would like to comment on our raise. Corrie: I have a question, on the letter that you gave out, there is no signature on it. It's just the letter. Sedlacek: That's right, bill picked that up and... Gregory: There was a time constraint on his behalf and mine and I didn't realize that he hadn't signed it until 1 returned to the office. Corrie: I see. Gregory: He was supposed to possibly be here this evening as well Corrie: Thank you. Sedlacek: We picked up the letter from the school district in a sealed envelope and didn't realize that it wasn't signed until he got back to the office and we were hoping that Mr. Bailey would be here tonight, but he didn't make it. He does live in Garden Valley, so he has quite a commute every day. Corrie: It's on their stationary and the whole thing, we would need to have him sign the original one so we can at least have a signature on file. Sedlacek: If you would like to, we can get a signed copy of that. Corrie: It's a little cleaner that way. Questions from council. Bird: I have none mayor. Bentley: I have none. Corrie: Have you discussed this fee with any of the others that is on here, they know what it is and your commercial people and all? CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING OCTOBER 27, 1998 PAGE 3 Sedlacek: Well, we have about 400 commercial accounts in town. We've not contacted or made some campaign to reach them all. Corrie: I was just curious if some of them do. Sedlacek: I would like to point out, we do have about 100 commercial accounts that have the yard and half, the smaller containers. Those are the accounts that will be hit with more of an increase and it's those accounts that we will target for moving up to three yard size and get less frequent service and they will—if they decide to stay with the yard and half size container, they will pay more. So they will be incentive now to move to a larger container, less frequently picked up and they will actually cut their rate. Anderson: There will be no increase in residential and some commercial will go down and some will go up. Is that how you are planning on making up the difference in the increase of the landfill rates. Sedlacek: Right, and the just looking at the last page of the tables, table three, you look at roll off services, those in general go up. The Ada County landfill has explained to me... Anderson: Explain to me what is a roll off service. Sedlacek: These are larger stand alone boxes for construction sites, 20-30-40 yard size. They are also compactors, for example behind Albertsons, they have a 17 yard compactor. The new Albertsons, the old Albertsons has a 20. D & B Supply has a 30 yard compactor. These are just containers that we take a truck out and the whole thing comes up on the back of the truck, we take the whole unit to the landfill dump and bring the whole thing back. Demolition waste dumping, as you can see is going up fairly significantly. The Ada County landfill has boosted that rate to become fairly high. Interestingly enough the commissioners are now talking about constructing a construction demolition landfill next to the current Ada County landfill, that was on the news about a week ago. If they can construct that, which I'm sure they will, they will be able to offer a lower disposal rate, because they will keep that waste segregated from the higher priced landfill that is currently in operation. If they can reduce that tipping fee for demolition rate, we can come back to you with a lower rate, but until then, the cost for throwing away demolition, throwing away concrete and wood and inert items is going up to the landfill. It's gone up already. Corrie: Okay, thank you very much Sedlacek: You're welcome. CITY COUNCIL SPEuIAL MEETING OCTOBER 27, 1998 PAGE 4 Corrie: Is there anybody else who would like to enter testimony on this item? Hearing none. Since there was no questions, no rebuttal I will question the staff. Staff have any questions? Any discussion? Does the attorney have any discussion? Gigray: The only discussion that I have is, I (Inaudible) it was important that we meet the requirements of having this public hearing so that no one could claim that the statute with regards to fee increases, which whether we are talking about a composite of all fees, or whether or not it's by category, and because some of the categories would fall into the statue, I felt the safe play was to go through this procedure. I also don't like the remedies that are provided in Idaho Code Section 63-13-11A, which can require actually refunding of fees that are collected in violation. So I think this provides us with added security for that and the only other thing that I would report that I am working on at this time, a proposed redraft of the agreement which they have submitted and I'm also working on an ordinance that would bring our ordinance current because some of the franchise requirements that they are requesting I think requires it. I think we will be able to move on those fronts within the next month. That this wouldn't be any reason to hold this up for that. Corrie: Mr. Bentley? Yes, you sure can we are still open to the public Sedlacek: I just wanted to point out that we did have a typographical error on table two. If this is going to go into the public record, I've got to get it correct. The first line is called MSW Loose (Sic). The current rate is $2.00. The proposed, which is actually now, the actual rate is $2.50, not $2.00. Bentley: So the proposed rates are $2.50? Sedlacek: $2.50 yeah. Now, when I wrote this it was prior to October 1, so now that is $2.50 is the actual rate. Bentley: $2.50 is the current, or $2.50 is the proposed? Sedlacek: When I wrote this it was in September and at that time the current rate was $2.00. The proposed rate was $2.50 and those rates have indeed gone into effect. So now, the proposed column is the actual. Bentley: Okay, I just wanted to make sure I wrote it on the right one. Sedlacek: We appreciate any, we don't like the remedies in the law either of giving back the fees if they are not done correctly. Whatever the law prescribes that we need to do, we will do it and move forward, thank you. CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING OCTOBER 27, 1998 PAGE 5 Gigray: Members of the council, just a point of procedure since this was a notation correction made at this meeting, that has just been made. I would recommend that the mayor make an additional play to anyone appearing here to whether or not they want to speak on that matter as well. Corrie: Hearing that from the city attorney is there anyone from the audience who would like to speak on that correction? Hearing none. Thank you, there is none. So are we ready then Mr. Counselor? Gigray: I believe you've met all the requirements of the statute, it's a matter of your voting on this matter and their request. Corrie: Okay, 1 will entertain a motion. At this point I will close the public hearing. Invite the council to make their decision. Anderson: I would make a motion that we approve the fee increase rate adjustment for refuge collection for Sanitary Services. Bird: Second. Corrie: Motion has been made by Mr. Anderson and seconded by Mr. Bird that we approve the proposed rate increase from the Sanitation Services request for the council. Any further discussion? Hearing none, I will take a roll call vote. ROLL CALL: Anderson — yea, Bentley — yea, Bird — yea, Rountree — absent Corrie: The motion is carried three yeas, one absentee, so the motion is carried. Do we need a motion to direct the city attorney then Mr. Gigray? Gigray: 1 will say that they will provide and have provided the new rate structure and it's a matter of instructing the treasurer's office, I think with regards to the billing and how that's done and he may have some further direction on that. Sedlacek: Mr. Mayor and council, I did meet with the billing folks regarding how to implement this change. It's a fairly simple change in the computer system, everything is coded and I can supply them with the new code lists. The comment was made to me however, that there now needs to be some sort of notification of all the businesses out there. My understanding was that this public hearing was that notification. There was some—basically, I'm not a lawyer, so... Gigray: Members of the council with your leave, I think this is an internal issue that we need to deal with, with regards to follow up on this particular matter and how the mayor wishes to proceed as the chief administrator with regards to notification of the public pursuant to this franchise agreement and then also, 1 think we need to work on where this is housed and monitored in the future and CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING OCTOBER 27, 1998 PAGE 6 that can be also part of our process with the working on the new ordinance and the new agreement. I think this is all practical issues that we can work with. Sedlacek: I assume that it is my job to get the new code list to Leslie for changing the computer system and... Corrie: We will take care of the rate structure to the people. Sedlacek: Okay, thank you. Corrie: So, Mr. Gigray, we are all taken care of then, is that correct. Gigray: On this matter yes. Corrie: I believe that takes care of the special agenda, special meeting of the City Council meeting, so I will entertain a motion for adjournment of the special meeting. Anderson: I make a motion that we adjourn the special meeting. Bentley: Second. Corrie: Motion made by Mr. Anderson, seconded by Mr. Bentley that we adjourn the special meeting October 27, 1998. Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion, say aye. MOTION CARRIED: All ayes. (TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS) e cc, n. 2 -_ ROBERT D. CORRIE, MAYOR q--11,i1�lBpdd ATTEorr ST: SHAAL r WILLIAM G. BERG, JR., VTY, LERK q