SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Amend Clearwater Code of Ordinances, Appendix A, Schedule of fees, Article XXIV, Sections 1, 3, and 4 to increase miscellaneous fees related to temporary service deposits, impact fees and miscellaneous user fees such as, special meter readings, turn-on services, meter changes and other special services that benefit a specific customer and pass Ordinance 9725-23 on first reading.
Body
SUMMARY:
This miscellaneous utility fee increase is needed to provide adequate funding to maintain the City’s water and wastewater systems. Additionally, these fee increases will ensure that appropriate charges are paid by the customers receiving the services.
In furtherance of the Council’s Strategic Plan to achieve High Performing Government by maintaining public infrastructure through systematic management efforts, Public Utilities regularly evaluates the sufficiency of the revenues provided by the City’s water, sewer, and reclaimed water rates to meet both the current and future requirements of the Utility. In September 2023, Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. completed a Miscellaneous Fee Analysis (Study), which evaluated the sufficiency of the revenues provided by existing water, wastewater collection, and reclaimed water rates. This Study recommends increases to these fees since they have not been updated in several years.
The Study covers fiscal year (FY) 2024 through FY 2027 and recommends increases for the entire period to be effective 90 days after Council approval and annually thereafter. The increases are applicable to domestic water, lawn water, wastewater collection, and reclaimed water. This increase is intended to bring these charges in line with the actual costs to provide these services.
Public Utilities (assisted by Finance) conducted an internal review and concurs with the Study’s recommendation to increase fees bringing them closer to the actual costs of providing these services.