02-27-06 Community & Economic Development

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u~fftie~ Commf~tee 2(i~fi Souih ]3end Con}ninia C:ouaicii The February 27, 2006 of the E itilities Co~nn~ittee was called to order by its Chairperson, Council Member ?it "Duddy" Kirsits at x:29 p.rr~. in the Council Informal. R~eeting Roo~n_ .Persons in attendance included Council Merr~bers T3ieter, Pfeifer, Puzzello, Varner, Kuspa, Trite, Kelly, Kirsits and. Rouse; Utilities Citizen Merr~ber Gene Pendl, Martha Lewis, Director of Public Works Gary Gilot, Rita Kopala,Jepart~r~ent of Co~n~raunity and Econo~x~ic ®evelopra~ent l~xecutive L~irect<ar Sharon Kendall, City Clerk John Voorde, John Stancati, Jamie Loo of the ~Sr.~uth 13e~acf "1't~il~~,rnc~ and Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand, Council ~ttortrey. C~'out~.cil Member I~irsits noted that Co~nrnittee Metrabers include Council ~e~nbers Puzzello; I~uspa, Pfeifer and himself anal he weicotned citizen rrten~ber Gene Pendl. Council Merx~ber I~irsits then called for a presentation on Bill No. 08-06 which would a~er~d Crdinar~ce No. 9561-05 which established a new schedule of rates and charges for services rendered by the City of South Bend Water Wor]<s and would further amend Chapter 1.7, Article 4, Sections L7-45 and t~-46 of the ~5'oulh I3e~ac.~ li~azraic~i~al f'r3c~~. John Stancati, Water Works Dir°ector, anode tl~e presentation. fie noted that the Indiana. Utility Regulatory Cor~ntnission ~IURC'1 issued an Crder on February ~, 2006 which approved the rates requested by the city with some a~nodil~ications. lie stated that the approved rates vaere trade subject to a future east of service study. Tl~e rates set forth in Bill No. 08-06 are l.I% lower than tl~e rates approved ley the Council when it passed E~rdinance No. 956I-05- In response to a question fro3n Dr. Varner, Mr. Stancati stated that the courts away .not overrule the IIJItC and that them still is pending litigation. In response to a question from Council Mea~nbcr White, Nlr. St~tncati stated that floe cost of service study will take approximately six (b) ir,ontl~s and will cost between S25,OOtl to ~~0,0Elfl. I~r. Varner voiced concern over the potential cost of the study noting that Mr. Skutnp oC Crowe Chi7ek argued on behalf of the original rate increases and that it should "not be a great deal" to set forth the written docun--ents. Mr. Stancati stated that the study araust lie very detailed. l~llr. Gilot added that the engitaeering and frnanci.ak data must be tied together as part of the study. In response to a question froth Citizeta M:enzber Pendl, Mr. Stat3cati n.oteci that the charges are based on a n~initnutn of ] 00,000 cubit feet used and then. the meter size charges are added. Following discussion, Cout~ci.l Nteinber I`uspa t~~ade a ta~aotion, seconded by Council Me~nbc:r Puzzello that Bill No. 08-06 be recotx~anended favorably to Council. The motion passed. hchruar~ 27, 2U~)fi [7tila[ics Ci3maltitfiee cat the 2t1f?( south Fiend Cami~on Coiutcil -3'a~e ] t;1~2 -