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REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 25, 2013 <br /> cost of our rates. So that is my first question. I have two others after that, but I will start with <br /> that question. What is our short and long term plan to widen our users? <br /> Eric Horvath: We all understand that sewers are a human health issue and we've got a number <br /> of areas in our county and a couple areas in the city that currently don't have sewers that have <br /> septic systems and a number of them would like to have sewers just a matter of finding a way a <br /> mechanism to get them there without putting that burden on the rate payers and it's very difficult <br /> depending on where they are for them to make it work financially to get the sewers out there. <br /> But we've got a model in place now that seems to be working in our regional sewer district that <br /> has been formed that now can help set their own rates and be a bulk discharger to us just like any <br /> of our large users would be like IN-Tek, IN-Kote; Memorial. So the structure would be that they <br /> would take a group of homes in the County and attach those to our sewer system and then start <br /> paying sewer rates accordingly. <br /> Councilmember Oliver Davis: Could you send us some detail regarding that structure that you <br /> have in place, so that we can take our time to look over it. Because I think that is going to be <br /> really important as we look at the issues. Another issue you talk about are we opening and <br /> what's in place now regarding you or our attorney, I see present our corporate counsel, what is <br /> going on right now in our legal department along with our public works area that is looking at re- <br /> opening the case as soon as possible. What kind of conversations are you having with our <br /> corporate attorney so that we can move forward with that? Because other cities have looked at <br /> re-opening it and what currently are we doing in terms of meeting with our corporate attorney to <br /> outline legal strategy so we can do this sooner rather than later. <br /> Eric Horvath: To answer your question, part of it I answered already in the presentation, that the <br /> first step and I didn't say this, but the first step really is looking at the model and is there a better <br /> way to do it right. Because based on that answer it will determine how we move forward legally <br /> with the EPA and the Department of Justice with this consent decree. It is a legal decree,right, <br /> so if we don't move forward with the plan we could be held in contempt. We are going to <br /> continue to move forward with the plan, but we are going to look at different ways to do it, and <br /> then try to sit down with them and sell them on better and quicker, right? And, everyone who <br /> has been successful has done just that,they've said we are going to show you a plan, it might be <br /> less money, but it's going to get you environmental benefits quicker and it's going to get you <br /> more environmental benefits. <br /> Councilmember Oliver Davis: What chances? <br /> Eric Horvath: It's premature for me to say how we will do that because the first question needs <br /> to be answered and can't be answered until we look at what those flows are and we recalibrate <br /> the model and then we re-do the plan and say can we in fact do it for less money and show them <br /> that there is a benefit to them, to the EPA and the DOJ. If we can do that we can probably get <br /> them willing to talk and open up the consent decree sooner as opposed to waiting until we've got <br /> these re-openers built into the decree. <br /> Councilmember Oliver Davis: So your recalibration issues and being able to get those numbers <br /> back to us are you looking at 6 months; 9 months or a year, what are you looking at? <br /> Eric Horvath: I would say probably a year. <br /> Councilmember Oliver Davis: So we are looking at the end of 2014/2015 you can sit down with <br /> the City legal team and look over those kinds of findings that you have and then make a plan. <br /> Eric Horvath: That is correct. <br /> Councilmember Oliver Davis: We talked about it earlier, in terms of the letter that I wrote to <br /> you. When will you know that you will be able to give us a response to that letter, a written <br /> response? <br /> Eric Horvath: We could probably do that the beginning of next week. <br /> Councilmember Oliver Davis: Again, for the public, could you just talk about why inflation <br /> numbers were not included in the original numbers because of the fact that to me a lot of people <br /> 7 <br />